Stroke is one of the leading causes of serious long-term disability in the United States. Each year, nearly 800,000 people experience a stroke — that’s one every 40 seconds. Recognizing stroke symptoms quickly and acting fast can save lives and improve recovery outcomes.
At Mount Desert Island Hospital, we’re committed to improving stroke recognition and response through evidence-based care. Our team is actively working toward the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Rural Recognition, which honors hospitals that demonstrate excellence in stroke care and ensure patients in rural communities receive timely, high-quality treatment.
To achieve this recognition, our hospital aims for at least 75% compliance across key stroke measures, including:
🧠 Door-In/Door-Out time ≤ 90 minutes for patients transferred for acute therapy
🧠 Door-to-CT ≤ 25 minutes
🧠 Documentation of last known well or time of symptom discovery
🧠 IV thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes of arrival and within 4.5 hours of onset
🧠 NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) completed and documented
🧠 Dysphagia screening prior to oral intake
🧠 EMS pre-notification prior to arrival
🧠 CT or MRI interpreted within 45 minutes of arrival
🧠 Stroke consultation completed
Our multidisciplinary stroke team is using these benchmarks to guide real-time process improvements, strengthen collaboration, and ensure that every patient experiencing stroke symptoms receives timely, coordinated care.
For questions about our stroke readiness efforts, please reach out to Abby LaPlante, Quality Coordinator, or Jon Bell, Director of the Emergency Department.