For the second year in a row, St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital has been named Georgia's Coverdell Champion Hospital of the Year for stroke care in the very small hospital category (25 or fewer beds).

The recognition is based on Good Samaritan Hospital's score on criteria such as rapid access to assessments and diagnostics – including CT scans of the brain – as well as door-to-needle time for administering Alteplase, a drug that can dissolve the blood clots that cause most strokes.

"Being named a Coverdell Champion Hospital is more than an honor," said Celia Covington, Good Samaritan Hospital Director of Nursing. "It demonstrates that we are providing state-of-the-art stroke care for people in our community. Stroke is literally as serious as a heart attack. When stroke patients come to us, we act fast to try to achieve the best outcome possible."

Stroke care at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital begins the moment Emergency Medical Services radios that they are transporting a possible stroke patient, Covington said. The Emergency Department physician alerts nurses, radiology and laboratory to get ready. Staff initiates the REACH remote stroke consultation system, which connects Good Samaritan to an Augusta University Hospital neurologist anytime of the day or night.

On arrival, the patient is rushed in for vital blood samples and a CT scan of the brain, which can help determine if the stroke is caused by a blood clot. Consulting with the AU neurologist, the ED physician determines if the patient can receive Alteplase and administers it. Patients may then be transferred to the primary stroke center at St. Mary's Hospital in Athens or kept at Good Sam, whichever is best for the patient. If diagnostics reveal a bleed or a blood clot that is too large to dissolve with Alteplase, the patient may meet criteria for an airlift to a comprehensive stroke center in Augusta or Atlanta.

"Speed is important because in a stroke, up to 2 million brain cells die every minute," said Beth Watkins, emergency department manager. "As Georgia's first remote treatment stroke center, our physicians, staff, equipment and processes meet the highest standards for rapid assessment, diagnostics and patient safety."

Stroke is the nation's leading cause of disability and fourth leading cause of death. Rates of stroke are higher in Georgia than in the nation as a whole, and higher still in middle Georgia.

"Greene County is in the buckle of the stroke belt," Watkins said. "We're working to reduce risk by promoting exercise and healthy eating, but people in our area need to be especially aware of signs and symptoms. You need to know that stroke is a medical emergency."

Stroke comes on suddenly when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or torn. The acronym FAST can help you spot a stroke:

• Face drooping or numb, especially on one side

• Arm or leg weakness; difficultly raising one or both arms or walking

• Speech slurred, hard to understand, or not making sense

• Time to call 911!