Saint Vincent Hospital Receives Coverdell Award

Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program Award recognizes Saint Vincent Hospital’s commitment to quality stroke care

Worcester, MA – June 25, 2018 – Saint Vincent Hospital is pleased to receive the Modified Rankin Scale greater than or equal to 85% Award from the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). This award recognizes hospitals that complete the Modified Rankin Scale on at least 85% of stroke patients from January 2017 - December 2017.

The Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded quality improvement collaborative administered by the DPH, that supports Primary Stroke Service hospitals. Through the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, the CDC provides funding and support to state health departments to track and measure acute stroke care and improve the quality of care.

The Coverdell Program is named after the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell who passed away in July 2000 as a result of a stroke. Massachusetts is currently one of nine states funded to participate in the program.

“The Saint Vincent Hospital team takes great pride in the care we provide our patients,” said Jeffrey M. Welch, CEO of Saint Vincent Hospital. “It’s an honor to be recognized for our efforts with this award from the DPH’s Coverdell Stroke program.”

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:

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

For more information about the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, or about FAST and the DPH stroke awareness campaign, please visit: www.mass.gov/dph/heartstroke. To interview a member of the team about the recognition, please contact PR Manager Daisy Burroughs at 803-833-0104, email [email protected], or Marketing Manager Rhiana Sherwood at 508-308-1969, email [email protected].