The Villages Regional Hospital (TVRH) and Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LRMC) have implemented the use of specialized technology to better treat stroke victims.
Both facilities recently started utilizing the iSchemaView RAPID Imaging Platform, which brings the most advanced and FDA-approved brain imaging software for stroke patients to the area.
RAPID is a new class of automated brain imaging software that allows doctors to quickly visualize reductions in blood flow to the brain and early signs of brain injury. It was recently adopted by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association and was put into use earlier this year by Central Florida Health (CFH), parent company of both of the local hospitals.
Selina Ancheta, a registered nurse and system stroke coordinator for both hospitals, said implementation of the RAPID platform enables doctors to continue to provide the most advanced care in the treatment of strokes.
“(It) assures patients that our team of skilled physicians is armed with the most powerful technology to allow them to visualize blood flow deficits to the brain and make immediate critical decisions for those patients with the most severe strokes,” Ancheta said.
The RAPID platform enables physicians to easily communicate about the extent of a patient’s blood flow changes in the brain. Images are immediately available to doctors via hospital communication systems and are sent through a portal to the stroke team physicians at UF Health Shands.
“With more experts looking and assisting in the treatment of our stroke patients, we are able to offer a higher quality of care at a faster pace,” Ancheta said.
Both TVRH and LRMC have earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers after a rigorous onsite review. The surveyors evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements such as program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
“Through the deployment of the RAPID platform, our physicians are able to quickly identify the plan of care needed for those patients suffering from the most devastating strokes,” Ancheta said. “Blood flow changes in the brain can be instantly shared with our affiliates at UF Health Shands so their vascular neurology and neurosurgery teams can review each case prior to transfer.”
CFH is a locally owned and governed not-for-profit healthcare system and the largest, most comprehensive provider of healthcare services in the region. CFH provides services to Lake, Sumter and Marion counties through inpatient acute hospital services at both hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation services at TVRH Rehabilitation Hospital and diagnostic laboratory services at several locations. To learn more, visit www.CentralFloridaHealth.org.
TVRH includes a 307-bed acute care hospital that has more than tripled in size since opening in 2002. The American College of Cardiology recently recognized TVRH for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain by awarding a Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primacy PCI and Resuscitation – its highest and best level of accreditation. To learn more, visit www.TheVillagesRegionalHospital.org.
LRMC is a 329-bed acute care hospital that has served Leesburg and the surrounding communities for more than 50 years. As Lake County’s largest tertiary care hospital, LRMC offers advanced cardiac care at its Heart Institute, which includes one of the largest open-heart programs in Florida. To learn more, visit www.LeesburgRegional.org.
