November 10, 2022 HAZARD, Ky – Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center reported the fastest door to needle time and engaged numerous staff members in stroke education and was awarded both the “Hero Award” and the “Foundation Award” by The Norton Healthcare/University of Kentucky HealthCare – Stroke Care Network for fiscal year 2022.

The Hero Award is earned by the Stroke Care Network affiliate hospital that administers the life-saving clot buster medication, alteplase, the fastest for the entire year. In stroke, a clot can stop the blood flow to the brain, and when this happens the brain cells die at a very fast rate. Restoring blood flow as quickly as possible in a safe and effective manner is considered the front-line standard of care. Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center reported a door to needle time of 10 minutes, matching the fastest time ever reported to the Stroke Care Network by an affiliate.

The Foundation Award is earned as a result of a comprehensive approach to stroke education, including extraordinary efforts to share education across the organization. Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center trained 120 staff on the NIH Stroke Scale and had 266 staff participating in the Hemispheres online stroke competency series.

At the Network’s annual Summit meeting on October 13, 2022, Dr. Larry Goldstein, interim director of the Stroke Care Network, congratulated Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center for their dedication to excellence in stroke care.

“Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center’s commitment and dedication to providing the highest quality stroke care is to be commended,” Dr. Goldstein said. “Everyone’s goal is to provide the best care for stroke patients as close to home as possible and Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center’s efforts embody that principle.”

Lisa Bellamy, BHS, RN, CPHQ, the Stroke Care Network’s managing director, notes that Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center “has worked hard to build the strong system they have today. Their achievements are a direct reflection of their dedication and perseverance, well done.”

As one of the 37 affiliate hospitals in the Stroke Care Network, Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center has access to networking with other stroke care centers in the tri-state area, an abundance of educational offerings and resources, and support from higher level stroke certified organizations. Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center’s affiliation and participation within the Stroke Care Network contributes to the Network’s overall mission of strengthening the stroke system of care throughout our region.