Hospitals in Action >> Case Examples

NAZARETH HOSPITAL, Philadelphia, PA
Take Charge! ASAP (African American Stroke Awareness Program)

What is it? 
Take Charge! ASAP provides education and assessments to at-risk individuals who did not previously have access to such services. The program provides stroke education and screenings to individuals in their community - at churches, senior centers, civic groups and workplaces. Nazareth Hospital, which had been widely recognized for its successful stroke treatment outcomes, provides potentially life-saving information about signs and symptoms, risk factors, and prevention of strokes. The hospital's stroke team provides free lectures detailing the different types of strokes, risk factors for and the signs and symptoms of stroke. During screenings, individuals are asked about their personal and family medical history of certain diseases (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc). Nurses check participants' blood pressure and carotid arteries for blockages. Each individual is given a prevention action plan and if at risk, is advised to visit a physician. 

Who is it for? 
African Americans, 50 years of age and over, who live and work throughout the city of Philadelphia.

Why do they do it? 
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and it is the leading cause of adult long-term disability. Nazareth had a strong community-based outreach program for stroke, but realized that there were certain racial/ethnic groups which were more at risk for stroke.  African Americans have almost twice the risk of first-ever strokes compared to the Caucasian population. They also have higher death rates for stroke. Since its inception, the Nazareth Stroke Team has presented information at 99 sites and screened/lectured 1,971 individuals. One third of the individuals screened were considered to be at risk and those individuals were advised to see a physician.

How do they do it? 
The Nazareth Stroke Team was funded by the Pennsylvania Office of Minority Health. Aggressive outreach was the primary vehicle utilized to reach goals; passive measures (e.g. bus ads, brochures, flyers, etc) were also utilized. Staff from Mercy Health System hospitals assisted with stroke screenings and the provision of health care services.

Contact:  Lisa Curry
Community Outreach Manager
Telephone: 215-335-6236|
E-mail:  lcurry@mercyhealth.org