Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services CEO, Rob Schmitt, is proud to announce that as of August 10, 2015, Gibson Area Hospital (GAH) will be recognized as an Emergent Stroke Ready Hospital (ESRH) by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
This designation identifies hospitals capable of providing emergent stroke care and directs EMS to transport possible acute stroke patients to these hospitals. To become an ESRH facility, GAH submitted data to the IDPH indicating their ability to effectively treat stroke patients in accordance with National Standards of Care, such as those from the American Heart/Stroke Association.
“GAHHS continues to be the model of excellence in rural healthcare,” said Schmitt. “This ESRH designation continues to show our dedication to the people who live in our communities and that is something we are very proud of.”
On average, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs of stroke. When you can spot the signs, you'll know that you need to call 9-1-1 for help right away. F.A.S.T. is:
Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?
Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "The sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?
Time to call 9-1-1 – If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared.
