Berkshire Health Systems has announced that FairviewHospital has been twice recognized for its stroke care by the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Fairview was honored for “Achieving Door to CT Less Than or Equal to 25 Minutes From Arrival for at Least 85% of Stroke Patients” and “Dysphagia Screening Greater Than or Equal to 90%.”

The Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded quality improvement collaborative administered by DPH that supports Primary Stroke Service hospitals.

The door-to-CT measure demonstrates the percentage of stroke patients receiving a CT scan in less than or equal to 25 minutes from the time of arrival at the emergency department. For the award, the measure includes all eligible stroke patients who arrived at the hospital by EMS and within 4.5 hours of “Last Known Well” (the date and time when a patient was last known to be without signs and symptoms of the current stroke or at their baseline). Hospitals are encouraged to include EMS agencies in quality improvement activities aimed at improving this measure.

The dysphagia award recognizes hospitals that completed dysphagia screening on at least 90% of stroke patients from January 2023 to December 2023. The dysphagia screening measure captures the percentage of stroke patients who undergo screening for dysphagia with an evidence-based bedside testing protocol approved by the hospital before being given any food, fluids, or medication by mouth.

“Fairview Hospital provides outstanding care for the south Berkshire community,” said James Lederer, MD, Berkshire Health Systems Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. “The staff at Fairview is committed to providing quality stroke care, recognized by these prestigious awards from the DPH Coverdell Stroke Program.”

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the Commonwealth and a leading cause of adult disability. Immediate assessment and treatment are critical to help improve outcomes.

Knowing the key signs and symptoms of stroke and calling 9-1-1 immediately can save a life. The F.A.S.T. acronym is an easy way to remember: 

1. Face: Does the face look uneven? Ask the person to smile
2. Arm: Does one arm drift down? Ask the person to raise both arms
3. Speech: Does the speech sound strange? Ask the person to repeat a phrase
4. Time: If you observe these symptoms, call 9-1-1

For more information about the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, or about F.A.S.T. and the DPH stroke awareness campaign, please visit: www.mass.gov/dph/heartstroke.