Crisp Regional Hospital has recently been designated as a Remote Treatment Stroke Center by the Office of EMS and Trauma in the Georgia Department of Public Health.  Crisp Regional is only the 8th hospital in Georgia to receive this designation.  The accreditation recognizes Crisp Regional Hospital’s quality care for stroke patients in providing state-of-the-art diagnostics and emergency treatment, and comes after more than a year of diligent work developing a stroke system of care.

The project was born out of the Rural Hospital Stabilization grant where CRH utilized funds to purchase telemedicine equipment, expand their bandwidth, supplement a stroke coordinator salary and contract with a neurology group to provide patients with emergency telemedicine consults 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  To earn this designation, the hospital’s team members demonstrated an ability to evaluate, stabilize and provide evidence-based treatment to patients with acute stroke symptoms, as well as the resources to transfer patients who might require surgical intervention.

“This designation means that we are providing our patients with the highest level of stroke care which improves outcomes for our patients,” commented Steven L. Gautney, President and CEO of Crisp Regional Health Services.  “The certification process is arduous and very comprehensive.  I commend our stroke team who devoted many hours to developing protocols, care pathways, stroke order sets, and performance improvement plans necessary to achieve this accreditation.”

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Georgia and fifth in the nation.  Each year 800,000 people in the U.S. suffer from an acute ischemic stroke resulting in 133,000 deaths.  Stroke symptoms include facial drooping, arm weakness, and slurred speech.  Time is brain in the event of a stroke.  It is imperative that anyone with any of these symptoms call 911.

Crisp Regional Health Services is a health care system comprised of Crisp Regional Hospital, Crisp Regional Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cordele Health and Rehab, Crisp Regional Dialysis Center, Blackshear Retirement Villas, Crisp Regional Convenient Care, Warwick Healthcare Clinic, CareSouth Homecare Professionals, Reflections Hospice of Crisp Regional, The Wound Center at Crisp Regional Hospital, The Vein Center at Crisp Regional Hospital, Crisp Regional Rehabilitation and Crisp County EMS.  For more information contact Brooke Marshall, Director of Community Relations at 229-276-3284.