CHRISTUS Southeast Texas – St. Elizabeth receives national award for comprehensive stroke care

CHRISTUS Southeast Texas - St. Elizabeth is being recognized for excellence in stroke care by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

The national award, Get With The Guidelines – Stroke, is given to hospitals who have demonstrated excellence in stroke care. The recognition was created to highlight the health care facilities providing the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines and quick recovery times. CHRISTUS Southeast Texas - St. Elizabeth was awarded a gold plus recognition.

"We are honored to receive this accreditation,” said Brenda Hatch, stroke coordinator for CHRISTUS Southeast Texas- St. Elizabeth. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire hospital working together as a team for our stroke patients. We remain committed to our patients and this accreditation validates our efforts."

On average, every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke and every 3 minutes and 11 seconds, someone dies of stroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain bursts or is blocked by a clot. When this happens, parts of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen needed, causing brain cells to die.

“Every minute your brain isn’t receiving oxygen during a stroke, there are millions of brain cells lost, so every minute counts during treatment,” Hatch said. “The national standard time for treating a stroke is 60 minutes; however, our team consistently provides stroke treatment within 45 minutes after the patient arrives.”

She said being able to react swiftly to a stroke is key to help minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

CHRISTUS Southeast Texas – St. Elizabeth underwent a rigorous process to receive this national accreditation. The hospital demonstrated its commitment to quality care, following treatment guidelines and providing patients with education on health management and rehabilitation.

“I’m not only a physician in this community, but I am raising a family here too,” said Dr. Shah Ashfaq, stroke medical director for CHRISTUS Southeast Texas – St. Elizabeth. “That means I am dedicated to ensuring my family, friends and community are able to receive the highest level of care. This award reflects our hospital’s commitment to respond quickly, deliver evidence-based care and ensure our community receives the most advanced treatments available."

He said strokes can happen to anyone and knowing the signs and symptoms is crucial. The easiest way to recognize stroke symptoms is the acronym: BE FAST:

• B: Balance – Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
• E: Eyes – Is there sudden blurred or double vision?
• F: Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
• A: Arm – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S: Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
• T: Time – If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately, as time is very important.

“This accreditation is an incredible achievement,” said Paul Trevino, chief executive officer for CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System. “I am proud of our team dedicated to ensuring our stroke patients have the best outcomes possible. Our patients and their families can rest assured that when they choose CHRISTUS Southeast Texas – St. Elizabeth, they are choosing a facility with the comprehensive care they need.”