LRH stroke unit goes straight to platinum

Gippslanders are receiving platinum care at the Latrobe Regional Health stroke unit which has won a globally recognised award for excellence.

The LRH stroke unit has been recognised with a prestigious World Stroke Organisation Angels Platinum Status Award for delivering consistently outstanding care.

The LRH stroke unit was awarded for its ability to act quickly to restore blood-flow to the brain to eligible patients within 60 minutes of hospital arrival.

Morwell woman Clare Lappin was given lightning-fast treatment at LRH after a sudden onset of stroke at home, just hours before she was due to fly to Townsville.

The 49-year-old experienced symptoms that typically include sudden facial droop, slurred or difficulty with speech, muscle weakness or numbness down one side, and a sudden loss of vision, or balance.

“I didn’t know it was a stroke, I thought it was anxiety and I’d be fine. My niece came over and called an ambulance which was here in three minutes,” Clare said.

“At LRH, I got straight through ED. I reckon I’d have permanent damage if they hadn’t taken such quick action. I can’t praise them enough, they were prepped and ready.”

Latrobe Regional Health stroke unit coordinator Janet May said stroke is a time-critical medical emergency where blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced.

“With each minute that goes by, more brain cells can be lost, and the risk of disability and death increases,” she said.

“Acting swiftly on the signs of stroke and implementing best practice care requires coordination between ambulance, emergency department, radiology, and stroke unit staff.”

LRH treats approximately 240 strokes and Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIA) each year.

People in regional Australia are 17 per cent more likely to experience a stroke than those in metropolitan areas.¹

Nationwide, there are approximately 45,800 stroke events annually, or about 125 a day.²

“Ensuring appropriate patients receive clot-busting therapy within 60 minutes of arriving at the hospital door is the gold standard,” Ms May said.

“It means more people will survive and live well after stroke.”

LRH is only the 10th hospital in Australia to achieve platinum status after exceeding a strict set of criteria and key performance indicators.

This included demonstrating fast treatment, coordinated care, scans and screening, and preventative care on discharge.

Ms May said achieving platinum status was not possible without having 24-hour access to the Victorian Stroke Telehealth Service which enables specialist stroke doctors to hold video consultations in the emergency department.

The Angels Initiative is a partnership between the World Stroke Organisation, European Stroke Organisation, and Boehringer Ingelheim, which sets global benchmarks for best practice.

The Angels Initiative Lead in Australia Kim Malkin said every step toward improving care and outcomes for stroke patients was worth celebrating.

“Every hospital that achieves WSO Angels Platinum Status should be justifiably proud, as should the communities they serve,” she said.

About stroke in Australia

• One stroke occurs every 11 minutes in Australia
• Close to half a million survivors of stroke are living in Australia
• 125,000 years of healthy life were lost due to stroke in 2024
• The economic cost of stroke in 2023 was more than $15.7 billion in a lifetime
• Improving the rate of uncontrolled hypertension could save $315 million annually
• 24 per cent of strokes occur in Australians aged 18-54 years