For Immediate Release:
August 3, 2005

Contact:
Lori Buchanan
Office of Public Information
573-751-6062

A Cape Girardeau hospital has become the state's newest certified stroke center, making Missouri one of only 13 states in the country that have five or more nationally certified facilities providing specialized treatment for stroke patients.

The Saint Francis Medical Center was recently named a Certified Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), an independent non-profit organization that evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

“The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services congratulates the Saint Francis Medical Center on this accomplishment,” said Judy Alexiou, program manager for the department's Heart Disease and Stroke Program. “JCAHO's program certification recognizes the facility for meeting the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients.”

The JCAHO program, which began in 2004, is the first nationwide certification program to evaluate stroke care provided by hospitals.

Missouri's other certified primary stroke centers are:

• Lester E. Cox Medical Center, Springfield
• St. John's Regional Health Center, Springfield
• St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City
• Research Medical Center, Kansas City

Both Springfield hospitals and Research Medical Center were among the first 12 health care facilities in the country to be certified by JCAHO as primary stroke centers. There currently are 140 primary stroke centers nationwide.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Missouri.

Missouri's Heart Disease and Stroke Program focuses on preventing heart attack and stroke as well as educating the public about the importance of responding quickly when one of these medical emergencies occurs.

“Without a doubt, stroke is an emergency,” Alexiou said. “It is very important to get medical treatment immediately.”

If someone experiences stroke symptoms, 911 should be called immediately. Stroke warning signs include:

•  Sudden numbness and/or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

•  Sudden confusion and/or trouble speaking or understanding

•  Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

•  Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination

•  Sudden severe headache with no known cause

A statewide Stroke Committee makes recommendations for Missouri's public health efforts to prevent and treat stroke. Several of the Stroke Committee members serve on the staffs of Missouri's certified primary stroke centers.

The JCAHO program is based on recommendations by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association for the evaluation of hospitals that function as primary stroke centers. For more information about the program, visit www.jcaho.org.

More information about stroke can be found on the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' web site at dhss.mo.gov/Stroke/.