The Medical Center at Bowling Green Receives Hero and Karpf Awards from UK HealthCare/Norton Healthcare – Stroke Care Network
UK HealthCare/Norton Healthcare – Stroke Care Network has recognized The Medical Center at Bowling Green with the “Karpf Award” and the “Hero Award” for its work in improving stroke care for patients and communities.
As an affiliate in the Stroke Care Network, The Medical Center at Bowling Green has access to UK HealthCare/Norton Healthcare’s expertise and resources. At the Network’s annual Summit in Lexington, Dr. Michael Dobbs, MHCM, director of the Stroke Care Network, praised The Medical Center at Bowling Green for having dedication to excellence in stroke care.
“The Medical Center at Bowling Green’s commitment to quality improvement and coordination of resources to provide their patients with the highest quality stroke care is to be commended,” Dr. Dobbs said. “Everyone’s goal is to provide the best care for stroke patients as close to home as possible and The Medical Center at Bowling Green’s efforts embody that principle.”
The Karpf Award is named after the visionary and innovative Dr. Michael Karpf, who served as UK’s Executive Vice President for Health Affairs from 2003 until 2017. Dr. Karpf was highly instrumental in changing the face of healthcare in Kentucky to ensure that Kentuckians have access to the best of care, not only at UK, but across the entire Commonwealth. The “Karpf Award” is given to those who promote the concept of a stroke system of care and participate in state-wide stroke care improvement initiatives.
The “Hero Award” is given to stroke centers who have the “Fastest Door-to-Treatment” time for IV-tPA in the Stroke Care Network. IV-tPA is a term used for the stroke “clot-buster” drug Alteplase® which, when given to eligible acute ischemic stroke patients as soon as possible after arrival in the ED, may help restore blood flow to the area of the brain impacted by the stroke.
“Time equals Brain,” said Bill Singletary, RN, director of specialty certifications. “We know that for every single minute an acute stroke goes untreated, a patient loses 1.9 million brain cells. Because of this, many individuals and departments at The Medical Center play a critical role in achieving these incredible Door-to-Treatment times — including EMS, the Emergency Department physicians and staff, Diagnostic Imaging, Lab, Pharmacy and Neurology.”
Lisa Bellamy, RN, BHS, CPHQ, the Stroke Care Network’s managing director, notes that “The Medical Center at Bowling Green was recognized with the Network’s ‘Karpf Award’ and ‘Hero Award’ because their commitment to providing the best possible stroke care is evidenced by the unrelenting efforts throughout this entire health system.”
The Medical Center at Bowling Green is a recipient of The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations. The Medical Center was first certified in 2009 and has consistently maintained certification since that time.
