Saint Anne’s Hospital receives Coverdell and Modified Rankin Scale Awards

Saint Anne’s Hospital has earned two awards for stroke care from the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell Stroke Program/Hospital Quality Improvement Collaborative.

The Coverdell Stroke Systems of Care Partnership Award is awarded to hospitals that have established a formal partnership with Emergency Medical Services and/or post-acute facilities.

The Modified Rankin Scale Award reflects a scale greater than or equal to 95% of patients who have a modified Rankin score documented at the time of discharge. The Rankin Scale measures the degree of disability or dependence in the daily activities of people who have suffered a stroke or other causes of neurological disability.

“We are pleased to that Saint Anne’s Hospital has been recognized for several years in a row by the Coverdell Stroke program for our commitment to stroke care,” said Saint Anne’s Hospital President Michael Bushell.

“We know that rapid care by EMS providers at the onset of symptoms is a critical and often life-saving factor,” said Bushell. “Thanks to advanced technology that links EMS with our Emergency Department, patients can begin to get the care they need while in transit, while our emergency team is in constant contact and can initiate hospital care as soon as they do arrive. We’re proud of the vital link between EMS providers and our emergency specialists and the critical care that our emergency and inpatient teams provide to these patients.”

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Since 2005, Saint Anne’s Hospital has been designated as a Primary Stroke Service Provider from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The distinction means that the hospital ensures emergency diagnostic and therapeutic services by a multidisciplinary team, 24 hours day, seven days a week, to patients presenting with signs of acute stroke.