Avera medical facilities in Pierre, Platte and Eureka are among those that have committed to participate in “Mission: Lifeline® Stroke”– a statewide initiative of the American Heart Association to strengthen the full spectrum of stroke care across South Dakota.
Mission: Lifeline’s acute stroke initiative will support both rural and urban hospitals to address gaps in consistent delivery of high-quality stroke care, ensuring all stroke patients in South Dakota have the best possible chance at survival and an independent quality of life. The initiative brings together hospitals, emergency medical services and first responders, rehabilitation facilities, communications and regulatory agencies, and state and local government to build a proactive system of stroke care that saves and improves lives.
Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre is participating in the acute project, Avera Eureka Health Care Center is participating in the post-acute project and Platte Health Center is participating in both projects.
Cardiovascular disease, including heart and stroke conditions, is the leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke is a leading cause of death in South Dakota, accounting for 393 deaths in 2022. Many more South Dakotans are living with stroke-related disabilities.
For more information on the Mission: Lifeline Stroke project in South Dakota, visit https://www.heart.org/en/affiliates/south-dakota/south-dakota-mission-stroke.
The following Avera hospitals will participate in the acute project:
Critical Access Hospitals
- Platte Health Center – Avera, Platte, SD
- St. Michael’s Hospital – Avera, Tyndall, SD
- Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, Mitchell, SD
Community Hospitals
- Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD
- Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, Pierre, SD
- Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, Aberdeen, SD
Certified Stroke Centers
- Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD
Sites participating in the post-acute project include:
- Platte Health Center – Avera, Platte, SD
- Wakonda Heritage Manor Avera, Wakonda, SD
- Avera McKennan Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, Sioux Falls, SD
- St. Michael’s Hospital – Avera, Tyndall, SD
- Avera Prince of Peace Retirement Community, Sioux Falls, SD
- Avera St. Benedict Health Center, Parkston, SD
- Sunset Manor Avera, Irene, SD
- Avera Eureka Health Care Center, Eureka, SD
The Mission: Lifeline Stroke post-acute care initiative expands and enhances guideline-based rehabilitation and recovery care, giving all patients the best chance at independent life after stroke.
Evidence-based rehabilitation and secondary prevention interventions improve recovery after stroke and reduce secondary complications. However, stroke rehabilitation expertise, processes of care and educational resources vary among post-acute care sites. The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, developed quality standards based on its 2016 Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery to bridge these gaps.
Joani Guzman, Program Consultant for the Mission: Lifeline Stroke South Dakota initiative said stroke treatment is time-sensitive, so getting patients the proper treatment faster, is crucial. She said many South Dakotans live in rural areas where access to neurologists is limited to telemedicine. Every minute saved in stroke treatment can directly improve survival and recovery rates.
Comments