Hartford Hospital Speeds Care for Stroke Patients

When someone is having a stroke, every second counts. At Hartford Hospital, the stroke team uses advanced imaging technology to significantly increase the window of treatment and improve outcomes for many stroke patients.

Under a protocol established in early 2018, patients are screened using a tissue-based imaging technology called RAPID that pinpoints the area of damage caused by the stroke, locates salvageable area of brain tissue and establishes a time window for treatment. If a patient is identified at another Hartford HealthCare facility using this protocol, they are quickly transferred to Hartford Hospital for advanced treatment. When the patient arrives, every moment matters. Any delay can put them at risk of poststroke complications or disability. Fortunately, Hartford Hospital exceeds the American Stroke Association’s guidelines for treatment in many areas.

For example, the Association recommends that patients receive a medication that helps dissolve a clot causing a stroke within 60 minutes of arrival. Thanks to process improvements the stroke team put in place in 2018, patients can get that medication at Hartford Hospital in just 18 minutes.

The stroke team also reduced the time it takes for patients to receive a CT scan. The Association recommends a scan within 25 minutes arrival. At Hartford Hospital, patients can get the scan in just 9 minutes. These cutting-edge protocols have already made Hartford Hospital one of the fastest in the country for stroke care.