CHRISTUS Spohn has Received Certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center
CHRISTUS Spohn Health System
Corpus Christi (News Release) – CHRISTUS Spohn Health System is proud to announce that CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi – Shoreline has received certification from DNV as a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC), reflecting the highest level of competence for treatment of serious stroke events. This makes the hospital the first and only in the Coastal Bend and in the region with this certification.
CSCs can treat patients, suffering hemorrhagic or large ischemic strokes, with follow up care in an intensive care unit. They also serve as resource centers to other facilities in their area, offering guidance and consultation for triage of patients, providing expertise about managing certain cases, making diagnostic tests or treatments available to patients, and being an educational resource for other hospitals.
“It is an understatement to say that our teams simply worked hard to achieve this critical certification. This achievement takes an immense amount of dedication and sacrifice and we are proud to see this effort come to fruition,” said Osbert Blow, MD, PhD, FACS, President of CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. “This certification will ultimately benefit our patients who suffer all types of stroke, including those who require complex care.”
“With stroke care, you must have the best clinicians and resources, but also the ability to act organizationally with extreme efficiency because of the time-critical nature of these events,” says O. Michael Everett, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. “This certification from DNV validates all the effort we have put into this program and to ensuring the health and safety of our patients.”
The DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification is based on standards set forth by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association, and affirms that the medical center addresses the full spectrum of stroke care – diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education – and establishes clear metrics to evaluate outcomes.
“Achieving certification shows commitment to excellence,” says Patrick Horine, President of DNV Healthcare USA Inc. “And it helps demonstrate to your community that you are performing at the highest level.”
Amanda Webb, MSN, RN, RN-BC, SCRN, Director of Neurosciences for CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, says, “There are only a handful of hospitals in all of Texas with this certification and just a few are south of San Antonio. This achievement by CHRISTUS Spohn – Shoreline ensures that our stroke care keeps pace with the growing medical needs of the Coastal Bend and delivers the highest quality of care.”
“From emergency treatment and diagnosis to recovery and rehabilitation, stroke patients in the Coastal Bend now have those services at the most elite level in one facility at CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi – Shoreline,” says Morgan Campbell, III, MD, Neurologist/Neurointerventionalist and Stroke Program Medical Director for CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. “In addition, this Comprehensive Stroke Certification solidifies our commitment to stroke prevention and early intervention through education and awareness.”
According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is a leading cause of death, killing nearly 130,000 people each year, and is a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability. Because stroke or “brain attack” affects blood flow to the brain, rapid and effective treatment can save lives and limit the extent of long-term damage.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke is also important for stroke care. We encourage our community to BE FAST in remembering these warning signs:
· B – Balance: Sudden loss of balance or dizziness
· E – Eyes: Loss of vision in one or both eyes
· F – Face: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
· A – Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to lift both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
· S – Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred? Ask the person to smile. Is the smile uneven?
· T – Time to call 911. If someone shows any of these symptoms, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately.
“Continuum of care is so important for people who suffer a stroke and having an organized, cohesive team ready to provide comprehensive care gives patients the best chance at a positive outcome. This combination of expertise, advanced technology and personnel truly makes us the regional leader in stroke care,” says Paul Schmitt, MD, MS, Neurosurgeon/Neurointerventionalist, CHRISTUS Spohn Health System.
Our stroke team underwent extensive training to become certified in stroke assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. Being a Comprehensive Stroke Center means a hospital is ready to deliver advanced stroke care - 24/7. It is the highest level of stroke certification, earned by meeting standards for the most complex stroke cases.
“CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi – Shoreline continues to establish itself as a premier facility for all types of medical treatment, including stroke. Our program already earned impressive certifications and achievements over the years, and this Comprehensive Stroke Center certification elevates the hospital’s status as a regional health care leader to an even higher level,” says Craig Desmond, President, CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi – Shoreline. “I am extremely proud of our teams who always strive for excellence in treating our community members and whoever needs our services.”
“Time is everything in stroke treatment, and a local Comprehensive Stroke Center means that the people in our region can get the best treatment as fast as possible,” said Barbara Canales, Nueces County Judge. “With highly trained personnel, advanced imaging equipment, and a dedicated operating room and endovascular facilities available 24/7, this local facility can treat the most complex stroke cases within the “Golden Hour,” the precious 60-minute window from the onset of stroke symptoms. For our friends and neighbors here in the Coastal Bend, this means lives will be saved and outcomes will be vastly better.”