Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) having a stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 130,000 Americans each year, this represents one out of every 20 deaths.

In 2011, South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC) initiated a new stroke program, which was the first of its kind south of Macon. Under the leadership of Neurologist and Code Stroke Medical Director Brian Dawson, MD, the hospital’s stroke program implemented a medical protocol that begins with the early recognition of stroke symptoms and the timely response by Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Room personnel. 

“Time is of the essence when treating a stroke patient,” said Dawson. “The number one thing to know about strokes are the symptoms and importance of calling 911 immediately. We use the mnemonic FAST to remind people of the signs of a stroke and what to do.” 

Simply stated, if you have a facial droop (F), tingling or weakness in the arm (A), slurred speech (S), then it is time (T) to call 911 immediately.  

Dawson explains that most strokes are ischemic strokes—the result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain—and the primary course of treatment is Activase (t-PA). The only FDA approved treatment for ischemic strokes is t-PA, which works to dissolve the clot and improve blood flow to the brain. 

SGMC’s Code Stroke program was developed in accordance with nationally accepted standards of stroke care that specifies that t-PA is to be administered within three hours of the first symptoms of an ischemic stroke.  

Dawson says that having an accredited stroke program at SGMC is of particular importance because of it geographical location. 

Georgia is located in the “Stroke Belt,” which represents the Southeastern region of the country. Even closer to home, South Georgia is part of the “buckle” of the identified belt.  

“The ‘buckle’ of the belt represents the highest rates of stroke cases,” Dawson said. “This area starts in Albany and sweeps down to South Georgia and up the East Coast of Georgia to North Carolina.” 

Dawson says getting t-PA treatment is only part of the equation for dealing with strokes. Having a unified Code Stroke Team is vital to the program’s overall success. 

The SGMC’s rapid-response team is available within minutes to care for stroke patients admitted through the Emergency Room and those who are patients in the hospital. In addition to Dawson, members of the Code Stroke team include Lori Trouille, Neuro Nurse Practitioner; and Jay Kelly, RN and Stroke Coordinator; along with Emergency Room nurses and physicians and SGMC medical staff, as identified to specific patient needs.  

“Since the program’s beginning in 2011, SGMC has committed resources and training to build a stroke program of the highest quality,” Dawson said. “SGMC uses advanced, evidence-based guidelines to diagnose, treat, and reduce death and disability for stroke patients.” 

The SGMC Stroke Program will celebrate its fifth anniversary in July, and there is a lot to celebrate. For the third consecutive year, the SGMC Stroke Program has been recognized for outstanding stroke care by the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry (GCASR) and named the Coverdell Champion Hospital of the Year (medium sized hospital category).  

The GCASR also recognized SGMC’s stroke program as one of four in Georgia having Door-to-Needle times averaging less than 45 minutes for diagnosing and administering clot busting medications to eligible stroke patients.

The SGMC’s Neurostroke Team has also received the American Heart & Stroke Association’s Target Stroke Honor Roll Gold Plus ELITE Award, as well as designation as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care by the Women’s Choice Awards in 2015. SGMC also carries the Certificate of Distinction for Advanced Certification as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission.