Mercy Medical Center Earns Recognition for Quality Stroke Care

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center has been recognized for the delivery of quality stroke care by the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell Stroke Systems of Care Collaborative at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Thanks to the diligent work of the Mercy stroke team, Mercy Medical Center has received Coverdell awards for the quick administration of a CT for suspected stroke patients and for dysphagia screening protocols. Data from January 2023 through December 2023 were analyzed for these awards.

The Coverdell ‘door-to-CT’ measure demonstrates the percentage of stroke patients receiving a CT scan in less than 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’ (LKW), the date and time when the patient was last known to be without symptoms of the current stroke or at their baseline.

The ‘dysphagia screening greater than or equal to 90 percent’ 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.

“Mercy Medical Center is committed to the delivery of high-quality stroke care. These awards validate the efforts of our physicians, nurses, and staff for consistently providing stroke patients with the right care at the right time,” said Dr. Asha Dhamija, chief medical officer for Mercy Medical Center and Johnson Memorial Hospital.

The Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program funds state health departments to collect, measure, and track data to improve the quality of care for stroke patients. Coverdell hospital awards were developed in 2009 to recognize participating teams for their achievements in improving the quality of care provided to stroke patients.