Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has been redesignated as an Acute Stroke Ready hospital by the Illinois Department of Public Health, the hospital announced today.
Acute Stroke Ready hospitals serve as the first stop for patients suspected of having a stroke.
“I am proud to recognize Jen Biank, our stroke coordinator, and the exceptional team of nurses, staff and physicians at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields on the remarkable achievement of securing the Acute Stroke Ready Hospital designation for the next three years in the state of Illinois,” said Franciscan Health Olympia Fields Chief Medical Officer & Vice President of Medical Affairs Fulton Porter III, MD, MDiv, FACP, FHM. “This recognition reflects the dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment of our team of amazing people to providing exceptional stroke care to the communities we serve.”
Rapid assessment is key when a stroke is suspected. The benchmark for an Acute Stroke Ready hospital is 45 minutes from the time a patient walks in the emergency department door to having their CT scan ordered, performed and back to the emergency department physician for evaluation.
There are two types of strokes, those with bleeds and those without. For more than a decade, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has partnered with RUSH University Medical Center for bedside telehealth stroke evaluations from RUSH neurologists and local clinical physician partners for patients in need of stroke management.
If the telehealth evaluation determines the patient is a candidate for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) -- a clot-busting medication used to treat strokes in the early stages -- it can be administered quickly thereafter. Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has a high rate of tPA administration.
More information on Franciscan Health Olympia Fields is available online or by calling (708) 747-4000.
