Russell County Hospital’s commitment to providing life-saving stroke care is being recognized at the national level. The hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Rural Stroke Silver Award for following the latest research-based guidelines to improve stroke treatment and patient outcomes.
Emergency Department Director Dr. Richard Perkins says the recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the dedication of the entire emergency department team.
Perkins says the hospital’s partnership with the University of Kentucky has significantly strengthened its ability to quickly identify and treat stroke patients. Through the program, CAT scan images are electronically transmitted to UK specialists, who review them and return their findings within minutes—helping physicians diagnose strokes that may not be immediately obvious.
Perkins says recognizing the signs of a stroke is critical, and emergency department staff are specially trained to identify symptoms and begin treatment as quickly as possible.
Perkins says Russell County Hospital is also working to educate the public about recognizing the warning signs of stroke because every minute counts. The sooner patients arrive at the emergency department and receive treatment, the greater the chance of reducing brain damage and improving recovery.
We’ll have more on Russell County Hospital’s stroke education efforts and what everyone should know about recognizing the warning signs of a stroke during the second part of this story on Monday’s editions of WJRS NEWS.