Awards recipients pictured at the North Dakota State Stroke & Cardiac Conference held Sept. 25-26 in Bismarck.

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Stroke System of Care Task Force recently awarded several critical access hospitals for demonstrated quality excellence in stroke care. The task force recognized the awardees through data collected from hospitals by the North Dakota State Stroke Registry.

Rapid-response treatment for stroke offers the most significant chance for recovery. According to Shila Thorson, North Dakota State Stroke Coordinator, “Once a stroke occurs, the goal is to lessen potentially debilitating effects, prevent further damage to the brain, and reduce the medical and physical complications following a stroke.”

The North Dakota Department of Health recognizes the following organizations for supporting the exceptional efforts necessary to foster better outcomes for stroke care in the state of North Dakota:

  • Pre-Notification of Suspected Stroke by EMS Award ─Mercy Hospital, Valley City
  • Dysphagia Screen Award ─Heart of America Medical Center, Rugby
  • National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Documentation Award ─Southwest Healthcare Service, Bowman
  • IV rt-PA Arrive by 2 Hour, Treat by 3 Hour Award ─Tioga Medical Center, Tioga
  • Door to CT in Less Than 25 Minutes Award ─Mercy Medical Center, Williston
  • Time to Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy 60 minutes Award ─West River Regional Medical Center, Hettinger
  • North Dakota Critical Access Hospital Quality Measure Set Award ─Jamestown Regional Medical Center, Jamestown

Also recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for excellence in care were the following Primary Stroke Centers:

  • Get With The Guidelines: Stroke GOLD PLUS Achievement Award
    • Altru Health System, Grand Forks
    • CHI St. Alexius Health, Bismarck
    • Essentia Health, Fargo
    • Trinity Health, Minot
  • Get With The Guidelines: Stroke SILVER PLUS Achievement Award
    • Sanford Medical Center, Bismarck

For more information, contact Shila Thorson, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701.328.4569.