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Primary Stroke Service Designations Should Comfort Patients/Families
Both Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital are designated as Primary Stroke Service Hospitals by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). Hospitals with this designation assure emergency diagnostic and therapeutic services are provided by a multidisciplinary team around-the-clock, seven days a week, to patients presenting with symptoms of acute stroke.

Falmouth Hospital has been honored by the American Stroke Association for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols. In June 2009, the hospital received the Association's "Get With the Guidelines" Gold Performance Achievement Award. In October, the hospital extended its streak of honors in stroke care when it received the ASA's Gold Plus Achievement Award.

The ASA "Get With the Guidelines" program acknowledges hospitals for their strict adherence to practices that best treat and prevent strokes. It honors hospitals that maintain at least 85 percent over a 24-month consecutive period on certain quality measures, such as aggressive and appropriate use of medications like the clot-busting drug, tPA, antithromobotics and anticoagulation therapy, as well as DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol-reducing drugs and education programs.

Falmouth Hospital Stroke Nurse Coordinator Jean Estes said educatiing patients about the risks and warning signs is imperative. For instance, patients who have suffered transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs, are educated as to how to prevent a stroke in the future.

Cape Cod Hospital, in partnership with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, launched its cardiac surgery program in August 2002; more than 1,000 open-heart surgery procedures have now been done at the hospital. Cape Cod Hospital is one of only three community hospitals in Massachusetts approved for cardiac surgery. The hospital is also approved to do both elective and emergency angioplasty and has built a world-class cardiac care team over the years. Achieving the Stroke Center designation reinforces the healthcare system’s approach to overall cardiovascular care.