Riverside announces support of Virginia’s effort to minimize strokes

Newport News, VA– October 19, 2021– Riverside Health System announces its support of Virginia’s efforts to minimize strokes in the state through statewide health system partnerships in support of the Paul Coverdell Acute Stroke Program, a federal grant given to select state health departments each year to collect, measure, and track data to improve the quality of care for stroke patients. This is the first year the State of Virginia has earned the grant and is one of 13 states to do so. Over the next three years, Riverside will be among other top health systems supporting the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in continuing to advance stroke care.

Since 2005, the Paul Coverdell Acute Stroke Program has reached more than 1 million stroke patients across 800 hospitals. The goal of the program is to develop a comprehensive state-based system of care from the moment patients have a stroke to the recovery thereafter. By incorporating healthcare organizations at the state-level, the grant allows for streamlined, high-quality care for patients and further research into how to continue its efforts.

“Riverside is delighted to have the opportunity to work with other top health systems in supporting the Virginia Department of Health’s efforts to improve stroke outcomes throughout the state. Caring for stroke patients has always been a top priority of ours, and we are proud to be among a group of collaborative partners in this effort,” said Riverside’s Pankajavalli Ramakrishnan, M.D., PhD, stroke neurologist and neuro interventionalist. “This grant allows the entire state to further expand its efforts and become a national leader in preventing, reducing and minimizing strokes and their symptoms. We are proud to put forth our talented team and expertise for the betterment of stroke care in the state.”

Riverside is one of only six comprehensive stroke centers in the state, having been designated a stroke center by DNV, an internationally recognized accrediting body that highlights hospitals that meet standards to treat the most complex stroke cases. Riverside Regional Medical Center anchors Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg, Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital and Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, which are also DNV-certified primary stroke centers. In addition to this recognition, Riverside Regional Medical Center has also received the Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart and Stroke associations every year for the past several years.

Riverside will specifically support the Paul Coverdell Acute Stroke Program through:

• Sharing its expertise with other hospitals throughout the state

• Serving as a model to all Virginia hospitals

  

• Partnering with the VDH to ensure it meets key outcomes and goals throughout grant activities

Virginia will be among a group of 13 states awarded this grant in 2021, joining the following nine states that received funding between 2015 and 2020: California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin.

For more information about Riverside’s stroke care, please visit https://www.riversideonline.com/about/why-riverside/stroke-care.