HJBR Jul/Aug 2019

60 JUL / AUG 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge   Hospital Rounds plaque. Without a healthy blood supply, the brain doesn’t receive the oxygen and nutrients needed to work properly, and brain tissue begins to die. Historically, a clot-busting drug called tPA has been used to treat this type of stroke, but it must be administered within three to four hours of onset of symptoms. According to Interventional Radiologist Zach- ary Liner, MD, intracranial mechanical thrombec- tomy is a game changer because it widens the treatment window up to 24 hours after the initial appearance of symptoms for ischemic strokes. The procedure is made possible by image-guided catheters and a wire cage device, called a stent retriever, which are used to remove blood clots in large vessels in the brain. The catheter is threaded through an artery in the groin up to the block- age in the brain. A stent retriever is then deployed through the clot. Once the clot is captured, the stent retriever is removed through the catheter that was placed in the artery. Developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and launched in 2003, The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Cer- tification program is based on the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for the Establish- ment of Primary Stroke Centers" and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establish- ment of Primary Stroke Centers.” Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in Louisiana and the U.S., according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average in the U.S., someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and nearly 800,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Other stroke-related services offered by North Oaks Health System include North Oaks Rehabili- tation Hospital’s Stroke Specialty Program, accred- ited by the Commission on Accreditation of Reha- bilitation Facilities (CARF). It is one of only five such programs in Louisiana. Woman’s Hospital Highlights PostpartumSupport Resources One in five new mothers experiences post- partum depression, but unfortunately, not all of these women seek help or even know what type of support is available. During Maternal Men- tal Health Awareness Month in May, Woman’s Hospital highlighted those resources available to new mothers who may need support coping with emotions following childbirth, including access to social workers trained in caring for postpartum patients. While an estimated 50–80 percent of women can experience “baby blues” that cause them to feel weepy, irritable, or anxious, these symptoms will usually resolve themselves within two weeks and do not significantly impair normal functions. In cases where these symptoms continue and/or affect daily activities, a mother could potentially have postpartum depression. Postpartum depression may start as early as the second or third day after delivery or take several weeks to a year to develop. Common symptoms include: • Feeling sad, angry, irritable • Lack of interest in the baby • Crying often • Feeling guilty, ashamed, or hopeless • Unable to sleep or sleeping too much • Loss of appetite • Anxiety, worry, stress • Withdrawing from activities she normally enjoys Women experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression are encouraged to speak with their doctor about treatment options, which include medication and/or counseling. Connecting with other women who are in similar situations can also be healing. Woman’s Hospital sponsors the Mom2Mom Support Group, which offers educa- tion and support for women with symptoms of “baby blues,” depression, and/or anxiety. According to Renee Bruno, MD, a psychiatrist for Woman’s Hospital who specializes in wom- en’s mental health and reproductive psychiatry, it is also important to recognize the difference between postpartum depression and postpar- tum psychosis. “Postpartum psychosis happens much less often than postpartum depression, but it involves symptoms such as delusions or hallu- cinations that can endanger moms and their chil- dren,” she explained. The onset of postpartum psychosis is often sud- den and can cause paranoia, mood swings, and confusion. Postpartum psychosis is an emergency that requires immediate assistance. If a mother needs emergency support, she can: • Call 911 • Visit the Woman’s Hospital assessment center or nearest emergency room • Call the Crisis Line at 924-3900 For those with loved ones who are new moth- ers, simply letting them know you are available and asking how you can help them may have a significant impact on “baby blues” or postpartum depression they may be experiencing. “One of the symptoms of postpartum depres- sion that women talk to me quite often about is the guilt that they experience when they just need a break from the baby,” Bruno said. “Having a supportive family that encourages and empow- ers a woman to verbalize her thoughts, feelings, and needs can help to establish a balance for new moms. For more information on postpartum support, visit womans.org/supportformoms. Baton Rouge General Receives TopMarks for Patient Safety, Experience Baton Rouge General (BRG) announced top honors in patient safety and patient experience from two different ratings organizations. For the eighth year in a row, and more than any other local hospital, BRG received an ‘A’ for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group. Only 22 hospitals in Louisiana received an ‘A’ rating in the spring report. Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Grades pro- gram reviews more than 2,600 facilities across the country and generates a report card for each, with an A, B, C, D or F letter grade, indicating the hos- pital’s overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors. For example, patients treated at a C-rated hos- pital have a 35 percent greater risk of avoidable death than at an A-rated hospital. People who go to hospitals with D- and F-grades have a 50 per- cent greater chance of avoidable death. “These accomplishments are a testament to how our close partnership with medical staff results in a culture centered on the patient, one devoted to preventing errors, catching near misses and relentlessly improving,” said Edgardo Tenreiro, BRG president and CEO. “We believe that zero patient harm is possible.” In addition to the safety rating, BRG was hon- ored with the Outstanding Patient Experience