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SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital has been recognized by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as a health care center capable of providing immediate and specialized care to patients experiencing a stroke. This includes initial evaluation, diagnosis, and potential transfer to a higher level of care, after stabilization, if necessary.

The stroke care multi-disciplinary team at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital encompasses:

Emergency Department
Hospitalists
Radiology Department
Neurology
Laboratory

The IDPH Stroke program designates hospitals capable of providing emergent stroke care and directing EMS providers to transport possible acute stroke patients to these hospitals.

"I am very proud of our SSM Health team for accomplishing this designation. When patients and families are faced with emergent health issues like stroke, our team is able to deliver specialized time-critical treatments needed to help our patients in their greatest time of need,” said Mackenzie Castaneda, Region Stroke and Chest Pain Program Coordinator at SSM Health in Southern Illinois.

Stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is disrupted. Recognizing stroke symptoms is key to getting the right care quickly. The phrase "BE FAST" is an easy way to remember what to look for.

Balance: is the person suddenly having trouble with balance or coordination?
Eyes: is the person suddenly experiencing blurred or double vision or a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes without pain?
Face: ask the person to smile. Is there a droop on one side (an uneven smile)?
Arm: ask the person to raise both arms with their eyes closed. Does one arm drift down because of weakness? Is there arm numbness?
Speech: ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Can he/she repeat it? Is speech slurred or difficult to understand?
Time: call 911 and get to a hospital/stroke center immediately. The faster treatment is administered, the better the outcome.

SSM Health’s network offers the most advanced treatments for stroke. When every second counts, our experienced team of neurologists, stroke nurse practitioners, stroke coordinators, ER physicians, radiologists, dedicated nurses, and clinicians work together to deliver life-saving treatment.

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About SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Centralia
SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Centralia, operating in partnership with the Felician Sisters, is a 113-bed hospital specializing in behavioral health, bariatric surgery, wound/hyperbaric care, cancer treatments, and minimally invasive general surgical care along with pediatric emergency and NICU telemedicine program in conjunction with the physicians at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital of St. Louis, Mo.

In 2016, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital was named a “Best Hospital” by US News and World Report for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for seven years in a row; the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award five years in a row; and in recent years the Critical Care Excellence Award.  It also was recognized in 2016 through Quest by Premier Inc. with the Citation of Merit Award for High-Value Healthcare.

For more information, visit us at ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook.

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SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Telemetry, Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, and Regional Stroke Coordinator team members.