In 2011, legislature was passed to enact the "Stroke System of Care Act of 2011" to establish a statewide system of stroke care, which requires The Department of Health and Environmental Control to recognize hospitals that are certified to be primary stroke centers and to authorize recognition of acute stroke capable centers and provide emergency medical services providers a list of primary stroke centers, stroke enabled centers through telemedicine, and other certified programs, as they come available.

South Carolina Support and Rehabilitation Services Links

• Low Country Stroke Support Group
• Telerehab Occupational Therapy at MUSC
• Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy Clinics
• Trident Stroke Support Group
• Young Stroke Survivors Support Group
• Prisma Health Upstate Stroke Club Support Group
• Clemson Stroke Support Group
• 2023 Aphasia Support Group Schedule
• Encompass Health Stroke Support Group
• Stroke Group Flyer NMBAC 23
• Stroke Support Group of the Lakelands
• Tidelands Health Stroke Support Group
• 2024 Prisma Health Stroke Camp

South Carolina Stroke Advisory Council

Representative Organization	Member
SC Medical Association	Christine Holmstedt, DO
American Heart/Stroke Association	Shawna Doran, MSN, RN
SC Hospital Association	Angela Eaton-Walker, MD
SC Hospital Association	Dr. Chris Durst
SC Hospital Association	Sherry Davis, BSN, RN
SC Hospital Association	Courtney Jones, BSN, RN
SC Neurology Association Counsel	Nishanth Kodumuri, MD
DHEC EMS Advisory Counsel	Garrett Clanton, MD
SC EMS Association	Carrie Stacey, NRP
SC Association of Air Medical Services PNCCT	James Leitner, NRP, CCEMTP, FPC
Stroke Advisory Council Secretary	Keith Wehrung, MBA, NRP
DHEC Patient Stroke Advocate	Alexis Dillon BSN, RN
SC Chapter of Emergency Physicians	Dustin Washburn, MD
Upstate RSAC	Joseph Hanna, MD
Midlands RSAC	Ashley Davis, MD
Pee Dee RSAC	Christopher Durst, MD
Low Country RSAC	Alison Smock, MD

Regional Stroke Advisory Council Members

UPSTATE REGION
Chairperson	Dr. Joseph Hanna	Prisma Health Upstate
Vice Chair	Emily Davis	Prisma Health Upstate
EMS Rep.	William Tatum	Oconee
Secretary	Kellie Geater	Spartanburg Regional Health
PEE DEE REGION
Chairperson	Dr. Chrisopher Durst	Grand Strand Medical Center
Vice Chair	Ashley Johnson	Carolina Pines
EMS Rep.	Tim Smith	Horry County Fire Rescue
Secretary	Keith Wehrung	Grand Strand Medical Center
LOW COUNTRY REGION
Chairperson	Dr. Alison Smock	Roper Hospital
Vice Chair	Lori Schrecker	Roper St. Francis Healthcare
EMS Rep.	Michael Shirey	Berkeley Co EMS
Secretary	Christina Blake	MUSC Health
Member	Shay McLeod	MUSC Health
MIDLANDS REGION
Chairperson	Dr. Ashley Davis	Prisma Health Midlands
Vice-Chair	Kelsie Pupazan	Piedmont Medical Center
EMS Rep.	Brian Collins	Lancaster County EMS
Secretary	Vacant
Member Neurologist	Dr. Nishanth Kodumuri	Prisma Health Midlands Vascular
Member Rehab.	Dr. Angela Eaton-Walker	Independent Contract Health

What is a Stroke System of Care?

A stroke system of care is a network of definitive care facilities that provide a spectrum of care for all stroke patients. South Carolina's Stroke System of Care is guided by the evidence-based "hub and spoke" model that simplifies widespread patient access to lifesaving care and treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), the FDA-approved medication for treatment of an occlusive stroke within the first few hours. An efficient and purposeful stroke system emphasizes the need for various levels of centers to cooperate in the care of stroke patients to avoid wasting precious time. South Carolina's "hub and spoke" model includes Comprehensive Stroke Centers, Thrombectomy Capable Centers, Primary Stroke Centers, and Acute Ready Stroke Centers which can be connected by telemedicine. 

An Ideal stroke system includes all components identified with optimal stroke care such as prevention, education, access, EMS transport, acute hospital care, rehabilitation, research, and advocacy. 

• Article 6 Stroke System of Care Act of 2011 (pdf)
• Stroke Regulation 61-118 (pdf)
• Mission: Lifeline^® Stroke Severity-Based Stroke Triage Algorithm for EMS
• SC EMS Stroke Protocol and Transport Algorithm (pdf)

Hospitals, and the patients they serve, benefit from a coordinated system that provides a standardized quality improvement. The care of stroke patients requires a systemic approach to ensure optimal care that is necessary within a facility, however, not every hospital can do everything.  Thus, a systems approach is necessary within a community, regardless of its size, to help establish a consistent approach to care and reducing variations in that care and the risk of errors. 

Why Choose a Hospital with a Designated Stroke Center?

Stroke is a medical and/or surgical emergency. Governing bodies verification and designation requirements set strict requirements, to include standards, clinical practice guidelines, and performance measurement for staffing of resources and specialists, response times, training, performance improvement and stroke prevention activities at stroke centers.  Stroke centers have dedicated and organized stroke teams that respond promptly.  The Stroke Medical Director (A physician responsible for stroke care) and Stroke Program Director are responsible to ensure compliance with the requirements, and for carrying out all activities associated with the stroke program. Hospitals that are not designated as stroke centers may have, and be staffed by, an emergency room physician but not have organized teams led by physicians trained in interventional neurological or surgical procedures to manage ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. These facilities focus on evaluation, stabilization, and transfer to an appropriate facility for further care.

South Carolina Stroke Centers

The following is a list of stroke centers are based on the level of designation.

Comprehensive Stroke Centers

These facilities can meet concurrently emerging needs of multiple complex stroke patients. The CSC will provide support for all South Carolina hospitals as a referral source for high level neurological critical care, medical, interventional, surgical capabilities, and stroke research. 

Thrombectomy-capable Stroke Center (TSC)

These facilities do all that Primary Stroke Centers do, plus have the tools and the expertise to perform mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove a blood clot from an artery. These centers also have neurointensive care and 24/7 on-site critical care coverage primary Stroke Centers The only difference in this and a Comprehensive Stroke Center is that the CSC has ongoing stroke research.

Primary Stroke Centers (PSC)

Ability to care for patients with acute ischemic stroke; Rapid assessment, imaging, and able to administer intravenous thrombolytic therapy.

Acute Stroke Ready Hospitals

These facilities are equipped to treat stroke patients with timely, evidence-based care prior to transferring them to a Primary, Thrombectomy Capable, or Comprehensive Stroke Center. 

For more information regarding the South Carolina Stroke System of Care, please contact the DHEC EMS Division at (803) 545-4958.

Other related links:

• American Heart Association: www.heart.org
• American Stroke Association: www.strokeassociation.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Stroker National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke