Northwoods Reporter

Tamarack Health Hayward Medical Center has been recognized with the Frontline Award by the Wisconsin Stroke Coalition for its advancements in stroke care during 2024. The award, which is granted to a single recipient annually, acknowledges the hospital's achievements in enhancing patient care for those experiencing strokes.

The Emergency Department at Hayward Medical Center focused on improving its stroke program last year through various initiatives. The team evaluated existing processes and set objectives aimed at reducing the time taken to triage patients arriving with a stroke. Efforts were also made to expedite the activation of "Stroke Stop," an urgent response protocol, and to shorten the duration from hospital arrival to medication administration and CT scan completion.

Following these enhancements, treatment times improved by 47%.

"This is an incredible achievement for Hayward Medical Center," stated ER nurse manager Krista Kurtti. "We’ve always provided excellent stroke care for our patients, and these advanced efforts have resulted in improved outcomes. I’m so pleased our staff are being rewarded for their efforts."

By adopting strategies from larger stroke centers and optimizing their procedures, Hayward Medical Center has established a new benchmark for stroke care within rural healthcare settings. This initiative successfully addresses gaps in access to prompt treatment.