BHB Primary Stroke Centre receives Distinction Award from Accreditation Canada

Monday 11 April 2022: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces that its Primary Stroke Centre, part of a clinical affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHMI), has received Stroke Distinction Award from Accreditation Canada for its Acute Stroke Services and its Inpatient Rehabilitation Services standards.

A letter from Accreditation Canada announcing the news reads: “Achieving Distinction indicates that your organization has demonstrated national leadership in the provision of high-quality stroke care. We applaud your success and urge you to celebrate this achievement.”

Accreditation Canada surveyors interviewed Bermuda Hospitals Board staff, stroke patients, their families and organisations BHB partner with from 28 February – 3 March 2022.

“We are delighted to receive distinction certification from Accreditation Canada for our Primary Stroke Centre,” said BHB CEO and President Dr Michael Richmond. “This is outstanding as our centre opened less than four years ago. It reflects the world-class expertise of our staff who achieved this while navigating the unique and challenging stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dr Richmond continued: “Stroke distinction certification is the highest commendation a Stroke Centre can receive in the Accreditation Canada system and aligns with BHB’s vision to pursue excellence through improvement, to make Bermuda proud.”

The final report reads in part: “Overall the Stroke Distinction surveyors identified the following areas of success within the organization’s stroke services:

  • Leadership and Organization support
  • Knowledgeable and committed staff
  • Collaboration with Johns Hopkins [Medicine] International
  • Alignment of the Integrated Stroke program plan with the Strategic Plan
  • Community Partnerships
  • Communication and promotion of the stroke program”

BHB Medical Stroke Director Dr Francene Gayle said: “The COVID-19 pandemic definitely presented us with unexpected challenges but we forged ahead to achieve, and in some cases, surpass, our targeted goals. We are especially thrilled to have developed novel stroke systems of care which can become models for other community hospitals around the world.”

“It has been our pleasure to collaborate with BHB in developing the Stroke Centre. We are proud of this collaboration and BHB’s accomplishments as a Primary Stroke Centre with distinction, “ said Victor C Urrutia, MD, director of The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center and director of The Johns Hopkins Global Center for Organised Stroke Care.  “This truly demonstrates BHB’s commitment to a higher standard of clinical service for stroke care. Their cohesive team and consistent approaches are now certified, to the benefit of patients across the island.”

Stroke Centre History

In 2018 BHB recognising that stroke had become an epidemic on the island, took steps to address the problem. In July 2019, BHB launched its Primary Stroke Centre, part of a clinical affiliation with JHMI. Since that time, stroke patient outcomes have significantly improved. A more clearly defined process in managing stroke patients together with a robust national campaign highlighting the signs and symptoms of stroke and the importance of attending the hospital immediately, have led to the success.

At our peak, 14 percent of those who experienced a stroke were able to receive a clot-busting drug that increased their chances of fully recovering. (Not all stroke patients are eligible to receive the drug.)

Dr Gayle said: “This figure is impressive and is almost double the 7% average of primary stroke centres in the US.”

BHB’s Primary Stroke Centre has also made history with its first trans-oceanic mechanical thrombectomy case. In this instance, a local patient with a major blockage in a major artery was able to be diagnosed and air-ambulanced to The Johns Hopkins Hospital within 17 hours. The patient received the lifesaving thrombectomy surgery, and, is likely the first in the world to have experienced the trans-oceanic service.

Pictured above: BHB Stroke Centre Working Group with Accreditation Canada lead surveyor Dr Ali Hojjati (middle front) – March 2022

11 April 2022 Home Page, News

Bermuda Hospitals Board Primary Stroke Centre screens all its patients for depression

Tuesday 6 July 2021: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) will now routinely screen all its stroke patients for depression.

“Experiencing a stroke can dramatically affect a person’s life,” said BHB Primary Stroke Centre Medical Director Dr Francene Gayle. “Strokes can be debilitating, moving a normally functioning person to one with significant function impairment. This can happen suddenly.

“Such a drastic change in a person’s mental and physical condition is understandably often traumatic, not only for the person but also for their family. It’s the reason many stroke patients become depressed in the days, weeks and months following their diagnosis.”

“Depression after a stroke is common,” said BHB Chief of Psychiatry Dr Chantelle Simmons. “In addition to the direct emotional impact, post-stroke depression is also associated with poorer functional outcomes. The good news is that treatment is available and we will provide it.”

“Early identification and treatment of post-stroke depression is critical in optimising patient outcomes,” added Dr Gayle.

The Primary Stroke Centre has implemented a post-stroke depression policy that clearly details how patients will be assessed for depression, when they will be assessed and, based on the assessment, the treatment that will be used. Inpatient and outpatient treatments are available.

The new process involves various hospital departments and disciplines, including allied health professionals (occupational, physical and speech therapists), nurses, physicians, psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.

“Implementation of this policy is another example of how we at BHB continuously strive to give the highest quality and safest care to our patients,” said BHB Chief of Staff Dr Wesley Miller. “We have a vision to pursue excellence through improvement wherever we can. Recognising and attending to the mental health needs of our stroke patients is not only good for our individual stroke patients, but by extension for their families and friends. It’s beneficial to our Bermuda community.”

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6 July 2021 Home Page, News

BHB celebrates Stroke Awareness Week

Tuesday 27 October 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Stroke Centre is focusing on stroke awareness for the public this week. Many Bermuda families are impacted by stroke every year.

“In recent years the number of stroke cases has increased significantly in Bermuda,” said BHB consultant neurologist and Stroke Centre Director Francene Gayle, MD. “Stroke is considered an epidemic on the island. An average of four to five people present at the hospital every week with stroke.”

Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability in Bermuda.

“The good news is that there are actions we can take to reduce our stroke risk,” said BHB Stroke Centre Coordinator Jamie Farrell.  “These include keeping our blood pressure at safe levels, lowering our cholesterol, following a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake and controlling diabetes.

“To determine your stroke risk you can use the Stroke Risk Scorecard – National Stroke Association,” said Ms Farrell.

“Recognising the symptoms of stroke is vitally important,” said Dr Gayle. “Every second counts and fast action can actually save lives and often greatly reduce disability. Everyone needs to know the simple acronym BE FAST and what it stands for.”

During the week, BHB will be handing out wallet-sized BE FAST cards. The cards are an easy-access reference guide if you suspect someone is having a stroke.

BHB invites the public to take the daily Stroke Awareness quiz on the Bermuda Hospitals Facebook page. The quiz questions appear at 8am each day until Friday. Answers to the morning questions appear at 6pm each day.

On World Stroke Day, Thursday 29 October, BHB encourages the public to do a physical activity, as regular exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle that reduces the risk of chronic disease including stroke.

Tag BHB in your Stroke Day activity Facebook posts. The Stroke Centre team would love to know what you did.

You can download the Stroke Risk Scorecard and BE FAST flyer below.

Stroke-Risk-Scorecard-2018

BHB BE FAST Flyer

27 October 2020 Home Page, News

Bermuda Hospitals Board establishes a Primary Stroke Centre

Wednesday 17 July 2019: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces the establishment of a Primary Stroke Centre at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH).

An estimated two percent of the population suffers an acute stroke in Bermuda every year. “We recognise that acute stroke in Bermuda is an epidemic that contributes to adult disability and significant economic cost,” said BHB Chief of Staff Michael Richmond, MD. “We are thus making the care and treatment of stroke patients a top priority.”

BHB is developing the stroke programme in collaboration with experts from Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center and its Department of Neurology’s Global Center for Organized Stroke Care. The collaboration is part of the clinical affiliation between BHB and Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHMI). Through the affiliation, Johns Hopkins is providing educational training, protocol development assistance and project management support to aid in the progress of the centre and BHB’s pursuit of accreditation.

BHB Consultant Neurologist Francene Gayle, MD is leading the project for BHB. She said: “A primary stroke centre ensures the highest level of care to acute stroke patients including the use of intravenous thrombolytics (clot busting agents) for appropriate candidates who present within 4.5 hours of the onset of a stroke. It also ensures island-wide public education on the signs and symptoms of an acute stroke as well as stroke prevention strategies. There is also an emphasis on re-integrating stroke survivors into the community through rehabilitation.”

“Johns Hopkins Medicine International is pleased to be guiding Bermuda Hospitals Board in establishing the Primary Stroke Centre in Bermuda. We work with thousands of stroke patients from around the world every year and are eager to share our expertise to benefit the Bermuda community,” said Dr. Victor Urrutia, Director of The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center.

BHB CEO Venetta Symonds said: “We are pleased to make this service improvement. Instituting a Primary Stroke Centre at BHB creates a path for us to fulfil our commitment to deliver exceptional care to foster a healthy Bermuda community.”

Caption:

Pictured from left: Angela Gilbert RPT, BHB Clinical Manager, Allied Health Services;  Heloisa Ambrosia RN, BHB Clinical Nurse Educator (Med/Surg Services); Holly Russell, OTR/L, Rehab Team Leader, RTS Team Leader, John Hopkins Hospital; April Pruski, MD, Assistant Professor SOM PMR Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Lisa Klein, Clinical Nurse Specialist, CNRN, JHMI; Brenda Johnson, MD, Assistant Director, Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Stroke Center and Assistant Professor of Neurology , Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Victor Urrutia, MD, Director The Johns Hopkins Hospital Comprehensive Stroke Center and Associate Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Judy Richardson RN, BHB Chief of Nursing; Francene Gayle MD, BHB Physician Lead, Primary Stroke Centre; Consultant Internist and Neurologist; Nevin Williams MD, BHB Assistant Director of Hospitalist Services; Kathy Albuoy RN, BHB Clinical Manager, Ascendant Partner Re; Phillip Jones MD, BHB Emergency Physician; Margia Arguello, Associate, Global Services, JHMI; Michael Ashton MD,BHB Chief of Medicine; Cathy Stovell BHB Public Relations and Norma Smith RN, BHB Clinical Director, Medical/Surgical Services

17 July 2019 Home Page, News