Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital and Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center received Awards of Excellence from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for their dedication to the treatment of stroke.

The hospitals have been telestroke collaborative partners with Wexner Medical Center for five years. This partnership ensures that residents of Springfield, Urbana and surrounding communities have direct access to critical care to provide safe and effective stroke care.

Ohio State’s Comprehensive Stroke Program is accredited by the Joint Commission and has an experienced team of medical professionals specifically trained in stroke care available around-the-clock. When a patient suspected of having a stroke is due to arrive at the emergency department of Springfield Regional Medical Center or Urbana hospital, a stroke alert goes out to the stroke teams at both the Mercy Health hospital and Ohio State. Ohio State’s neurovascular stroke experts assess the patient and consult with Mercy Health’s team via video conferencing and Web-based software to determine the best treatment options for the patient. Accurately diagnosing a stroke and delivering timely and appropriate care are critical for the survival of a stroke patient.

Earlier this year, Springfield Regional Medical Center celebrated the first anniversary of earning The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers.

Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (JAMA, 2000) and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2011).