<b>BMH ranked tops&nbsp;</b><b>for stroke care</b>

Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) has achieved the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s highest level of recognition for stroke care, joining the ranks of some of the best hospitals in the country.&nbsp;

This year, BMH was honored with the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for providing stroke patients with the most up-to-date, evidence-based care.&nbsp;

In addition, it qualified for Target: Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Plus status, reserved for hospitals that consistently deliver expeditious treatment to patients suffering an acute ischemic stroke.&nbsp;

“With a stroke, minutes count,” said Beaufort Memorial Vice President of Quality Services Shawna Doran. “These awards demonstrate our commitment to quality in following evidence-based practices for stroke care.”&nbsp;

Recipients of the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award must follow treatment guidelines at least 85 percent of the time for two or more consecutive 12-month periods and achieve a minimum 75 percent compliance with five of eight stroke quality measures.

The quality measures are designed to help hospital teams provide appropriate treatment based on the latest scientific evidence shown to raise patients’ survival rates and minimize permanent disability.

To qualify for Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, BMH had to meet quality measures developed to reduce the time it takes for patients to be diagnosed and treated with the clot-busting medication tPA – the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. According to current guidelines, the drug should be started within 60 minutes of a patient’s arrival in the hospital to minimize brain damage and potential complications.&nbsp;

BMH physicians have consistently outperformed the “door-to-needle” goal, averaging 44 minutes in 2016. &nbsp;

The fifth leading cause of death in the United States, stroke ranks as the No. 3 killer in South Carolina, part of an 11-state region in the United States known as the Stroke Belt.&nbsp;

To improve patient care for stroke patients in the community, Beaufort Memorial has taken full advantage of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Health Telestroke, a Web-based program that provides Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit physicians with on-demand access to MUSC Health stroke experts for consultations. &nbsp;

<b>Beaufort Memorial&nbsp;</b><b>wins safety award</b>

Beaufort Memorial Hospital was one of seven South Carolina healthcare organizations recognized as winners of a Palmetto Hospital Trust (PHT) Safety Award at the PHT Worker Safety Symposium. &nbsp;

Healthcare professionals from around the state attended the two-day event, which was held in Charleston.&nbsp;

Safety Awards are presented each year to Palmetto Hospital Trust members with the lowest loss ratios in their respective categories. Beaufort Memorial Hospital was the winner in the category of hospitals with 101-500 beds.&nbsp;

Palmetto Hospital Trust (PHT) was founded in 1977 by South Carolina healthcare executives as a group workers’ compensation self-insurance pool.&nbsp; The Trust members include hospitals, continuing care retirement centers, organizations dealing with special needs individuals and other healthcare organizations.

PHT is a leading provider of workers’ compensation coverage to the state’s healthcare industry.&nbsp;

Workers’ compensation services are provided to PHT members under a contract with PHT Services Ltd., and through business alliances with other best practices companies.

<b>Nurses receive training&nbsp;</b><b>on sex assault response</b>

Hopeful Horizons and the Medical University of South Carolina will be hosting a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)/Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Training from July 10-14 at Coastal Empire Mental Health.

Agencies who serve victims of sexual assault or intimate partner violence or investigate/prosecute cases of sexual assault or intimate partner violence are highly encouraged to attend, such as medical professionals, law enforcement, solicitors, etc.

Participants can register for the training by going to www.peedeeahec.net.&nbsp;

There is no registration fee for the course but attendance is required for all five sessions.

SANEs are trained medical professionals who perform the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE kits) to collect evidence from a victim of sexual assault. SARTs are teams of agencies and nonprofits that collaborate on cases of sexual assault for better case outcomes and to ensure that victims get all of the services they need, such as mental health treatment, advocacy, case management, etc.

For more information on the mission and vision of Hopeful Horizons, visit www.hopefulhorizons.org.&nbsp;

<b>The Lending Room&nbsp;</b><b>has growing pains</b>

Four years ago The Lending Room was a charitable organization that helped people secure medical equipment when in need.

Today it is a busy nonprofit that is bursting at the seams. Its mission is simple: accept and distribute gently used medical equipment to anyone regardless of income or insurance.&nbsp;

The Lending Room has kept valuable resources from the dump or rusting in people’s attics and basements. It allows people to avoid the red tape of insurance companies and get their equipment needs met.&nbsp;

In an attempt to meet the growing needs of the community it has become increasingly important to make accessibility consistent. Once a phone call to arrange pick up was enough, now people routinely stop in to see if The Lending Room has what they need.&nbsp;

As an organization, The Lending Room is experiencing some growing pains. It is in need of volunteers that wouldn’t mind giving three hours a week (or every other week) to “man the store.”&nbsp;

To lend a hand, to donate or if you know someone in need of medical rehab equipment, call 843-524-2554 or e-mail lendingroom@yahoo.com.&nbsp;

Visit www.lendingroombeaufort.com.&nbsp;