Arkansas Stroke Assistance Summer 2015
Through Virtual Emergency SupportVolume 1, Issue
The Penumbra
Welcome to “The Penumbra”
Welcome to the inaugural issue of the quarterly newsletter for
the ARSAVES program! We hope the information presented in each
issue, you will find informative, entertaining and illustrative of
the dedication of those involved in the program. We look forward to
seeing how the program will evolve and grow in the next few
years.
In this issue we welcome Olivia Wilson to the SAVES staff and
learn a little about her. We hope you will all make her feel
welcome. We are excited at her arrival and the talents and
dedication she brings to the team. We will also be introduced to
the ARSAVES Mega Brain. You will learn a little about its uses and
see some pictures to get a perspective. Enjoy!
Acute Stroke Care in Arkansas by Dr. Sanjeeva Reddy
Acute Ischemic Stroke is the fifth leading cause of mortality in
America. There have been several ways to address this devastating
disorder including nationwide awareness programs, innovative ways
to increase patient’s access to healthcare, and research to
advanced treatment options.
Alteplase has been approved by the FDA for treatment of acute
ischemic stroke patients who meet certain criteria. There are
several limitations however, in treating patients with acute
ischemic strokes. One of the most important limiting factors
historically, has been the availability of expert physicians who
routinely take care of these patients. To add to this challenge
there is a limited time frame within which those patients may be
treated. Nationally, less than 3% of ischemic stroke patients are
being treated with Alteplase which could be a potentially
lifesaving treatment.
There have been several ways to tackle this problem. One of the
most successful ways is through telemedicine. ARSAVES (Arkansas
Stroke Assistance through Virtual Emergency Support), is one such
program which has met with success. Being one of the largest
programs in the country, the ARSAVES telestroke network is serving
the needs of Arkansans. With this system, there is a physician
available 24/7 to 47 network hospitals around the state where,
where most of these patients would not otherwise have been given
the opportunity to be treated. The rate of patients receiving
Alteplase is approximately 30%, which is higher than the national
average.
Other ways in which ARSAVES is meeting this challenge is through
educating communities about awareness of stroke risk factors,
identifying stroke patients and other available treatment options.
After patients are treated throught he network, we also provide
access to hospitals where advanced interventional procedures and
dedicated stroke units are available if needed. These kinds of
services are very important to the people living in the “Stroke
Belt” where the proportion of new stroke patients is higher.
As we continue to grow we will continue to focus our attention
on quality of care we provide to these patients and also strive to
achieve bench mark standards as TIME IS BRAIN. Please also look
forward to a sister program of ARSAVES called ARCATHS which is
focused to evaluate, treat, and timely transfer of patients with
intracerebral hemorrhages and subarachnoid hemorrhages, for
emergent neurosurgical and neuro interventional procedures.
Welcome Olivia Wilson to ARSAVES! by Olivia Wilson and David
Wollard
Olivia Wilson is an Arkansas native born and raised in Malvern,
AR. She moved to Conway, AR to attend the University of Central
Arkansas fall 2005.
She began an internship with UAMS fall 2009. Through that, she
learned about the world of injury prevention. After receiving her
bachelor’s degree in Health Education, her family decided to make
Conway, AR their permanent home. She was also offered a permanent
position with the Injury Prevention Center which she gladly
accepted.
In that position Olivia worked to educate teenagers and parents
about the motor vehicle crash risks associated with teenage
drivers. She also educated all ages on home safety topics relevant
to their age groups as the home safety analyst with the Statewide
Injury Prevention Program.
She went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Health Sciences at
the University of Central Arkansas and graduated fall 2012. With
this degree, she has been able to learn more and expand her
emphasis on more than injury prevention in the public health realm.
Olivia joined AR SAVES June 2015 and is excited to help the program
in any ways that she can. And we are excited too!
It’s here! A brain of truly epic proportions! By Rick
Washam
The AR SAVES Stroke Education Program facilitates 2 community
stroke education events in all its 47 sites per month which
translated to over 900 events reaching over 300,000
participants/year. The stroke education network is active and
strong. The “Mega Brain” will translate into many stroke education
opportunities in schools, hospitals, communities and in the media!
Estimated targets for the display would conservatively be in the
30,000 participant range/year and for many years to come.
By adding a creative educational tool and backdrop to
educational events across the state many more Arkansans will
receive the stroke education that they deserve and need, leading to
greater numbers of Arkansas being saved from death or most likely
the debilitating effects of stroke. AR is #1 in stroke mortality.
With your partnership and support AR SAVES will be able to make a
Difference!
The MEGA Brain showcases a variety of features, both inside and
out. Information includes information on:
INSIDE: Stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Headaches, Parkinson’s
disease, Epilepsy, Meningitis, Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
OUTISDE: Brain tumor, Brain trauma, Treatment/prevention options
for stroke, brain protection and brain imaging, Stroke, Aneurysm
(with Interventional Radiology)
Your hospital’s imagination will be the only limit to your
ARSAVES Mega Brain!
If you have something you would like to submit for the next
quarterly newsletter, send to [email protected] for
consideration.
See you next time!
