AHN Grove City Hospital Receives Rural Health Community Program of the Year Award for Telehealth Stroke Care

Monday, November 18, 2024

Press Releases

Grove City, Pa. - Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Grove City Hospital (GCH) is pleased to announce it has received the 'Pennsylvania Rural Health Community Program of the Year Award,' presented by the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH).

The award recognizes an exemplary health program that addresses a local identified need in a rural community utilizing unique, creative and innovative approaches to increase access to health care services and increase community health outcomes.

GCH recently began its fifth year of its Telestroke program, a 24/7 urgent response service that provides access to AHN stroke neurologists based outside of the hospital, to expertly assess and treat hospital patients with acute stroke symptoms. Sophisticated AI technology aids GCH physicians and stroke neurologists in treatment and transfer decisions by quickly developing neuroimaging that demonstrates the volume and location of healthy, at risk, and dead brain tissue.

Over the course of the past 12 months, hundreds of patients were evaluated and treated for stroke symptoms at Grove City. Seventy-eight percent of those patients remained in the community hospital, close to family and support systems.

As part of the program, direct secure messaging was recently implemented to allow for quicker and more efficient communication between stroke neurologists and care teams at GCH. This technology has further streamlined acute stroke processes and reduced treatment times such that all clot-busting IV thrombolytic cases were treated within 60 minutes from arrival.

In 2024, GCH achieved the American Heart Association's Get with the Guidelines Gold Plus award for excellent stroke care.

GCH also participates in the AHN TeleICU program which virtually connects a centrally located team of AHN board-certified critical care physicians, nurses and data assistants with bedside hospitalists and nurses in ICUs at AHN's community-based hospitals.

The telehealth projects at GCH were previously supported in part by a HRSA Telehealth Network Grant Program and continue through AHN's commitment to the hospital and surrounding community.

On the first day of 'Rural Health Week' in Pennsylvania, Nov. 18, the award was presented to hospital leadership at a ceremony held at the hospital.

"We are so grateful to the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health for this incredible honor. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and highlights our commitment to providing the best possible care, right here in Grove City," said Christopher Clark, DO, MHA, president, AHN Grove City.

PORH was formed in 1991 as a joint partnership between the federal government, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Penn State. The office is one of 50 state offices of rural health in the nation and is charged with being a source of coordination, technical assistance, networking, and partnership development. It provides expertise in the areas of rural health, population health, quality improvement, oral health, and agricultural health and safety.

Each year, PORH presents awards to recognize rural health programs and individuals who have made substantial contributions to rural health in Pennsylvania. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, visit porh.psu.edu.

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