Springfield Memorial Hospital has again earned the nation’s highest designation for stroke care – one of only 18 hospitals in Illinois and five outside the Chicago region to achieve that level of certification.
The Comprehensive Stroke Center designation, which SMH first earned in 2015, recognizes the hospital for its ability to provide expert, around-the-clock care for the most complex stroke patients. It is the highest designation for stroke care given by The Joint Commission, the nonprofit organization that accredits healthcare organizations nationwide.
“When treating stroke, every second counts,” Dr. Sajjad Mueed, SIU stroke neurologist and Medical Director of SMH’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, said. “We are committed to providing the highest level of care for stroke, from the moment a patient first enters the Emergency Department until they complete rehabilitation.”
The certification means that Memorial has highly qualified physicians in key medical specialties (including neurology, neurosurgery, diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology and emergency medicine), hospital staff with unique and ongoing training and the latest technology to provide each patient with a full spectrum of treatment options and interventions.
Memorial’s comprehensive, interdisciplinary stroke team has the capability to quickly evaluate stroke symptoms using advanced medical imaging and deliver time-sensitive treatments and procedures to prevent death and life-altering disabilities.
The stroke team at Memorial includes board-certified physicians and surgeons from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, clinical radiologists, Mid-America Emergency Physicians and Springfield Clinic, in addition to health care professionals from a variety of clinical disciplines.
Requirements for a Comprehensive Stroke Center include having the infrastructure, staff and training resources to provide state-of-the-art care to all stroke patients; providing a dedicated neurointensive-care unit with round-the-clock neurointensive care for complex stroke patients; and using advanced imaging capabilities.
All five of Memorial Health’s hospitals in central Illinois hold designations for stroke care. Decatur Memorial Hospital is designated as a primary stroke center, while Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, Lincoln Memorial Hospital and Taylorville Memorial Hospital are all designated as Acute Stroke-Ready hospitals by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“According to the CDC, every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke,” Jennifer Rebbe, director of neurosciences. “We’re proud to be able to offer high-quality stroke care across the region so we can be there whenever and wherever people need us.”