Sharon Regional Medical Center, together with the Sharon Regional medical staff is hosting a luncheon with local police chiefs on Thursday, September 6th at noon at Sharon Regional Medical Center to promote Stop the Bleed, a national awareness campaign and call to action to train, equip and empower individuals to help in a bleeding emergency before medical professionals arrive.  Sharon Regional and the Sharon Regional Medical Staff have teamed up to purchase a total of 300 tourniquets to donate to each of the 23 police departments and their officers.  In addition, training and education on basic Stop the Bleed techniques will be provided.  The hospital and medical staff shared the nearly $22,0000 purchase price for the tourniquets that will be donated at the luncheon.

 

“Our medical center and the physicians and allied health practitioners on the medical staff at Sharon Regional are very pleased to be able to offer lifesaving equipment to our area police officers to effectively arm them with the tools and training in the event of a trauma situation”, stated Joseph Hugar, president of Sharon Regional Medical Center. He continued, “We know that police officers are often among the first to arrive at a trauma scene and having them properly armed and trained will have a direct impact on the outcomes related to treating those with life threatening injuries”.

 

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the program was initiated to promote simple actions that can be taken immediately after a trauma to limit the loss of life.  No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, therefore it is important to quickly stop the blood loss. Those nearest to someone with life threatening injuries are best positioned to provide first care.  Those first on the scene such as police officers, may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately after the trauma.  Those include:  Apply pressure, apply dressing and press, apply tourniquet(s).

 

More than a dozen area police forces will be in attendance at tomorrow’s luncheon where the tourniquets will be presented to each police department and in addition,  officers will receive information regarding Stop the Bleed training and education in the use of tourniquets.  For more information regarding the national Stop the Bleed campaign, visit www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed#.

 

About Sharon Regional Medical Center

Sharon Regional Medical Center is your community healthcare provider; a 220 licensed, acute care bed hospital with 19 satellite centers throughout the region. As a Joint Commission accredited hospital, Sharon Regional proudly offers specialized services including the Heart and Vascular Institute, emergency heart attack/stroke treatment, cancer care, orthopedics/sports medicine, minimally invasive surgery, bariatric surgery, emergency care, a breast care center, and a family birth center now designated as a Highmark Blue Distinction Center + for maternity care.  For more information, visit www.sharonregionalmedical.org.

 

 

About Steward Health Care

 

Steward Health Care, the largest private hospital operator in the United States, is a physician-led health care services organization committed to providing the highest quality of care in the communities where patients live. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Steward operates 39 community hospitals in the United States and the country of Malta, that regularly receive top awards for quality and safety. The company employs approximately 40,000 health care professionals. The Steward network includes more than 25 urgent care centers, 42 preferred skilled nursing facilities, substantial behavioral health services, over 7,300 beds under management, and approximately 1.5 million full risk covered lives through the company's managed care and health insurance services. The total number of paneled lives within Steward's integrated care network is projected to reach 3 million in 2018.

 

Steward's unique health care service delivery model leverages technology, innovation, and care coordination to keep patients healthier. With a culture that prioritizes agility, resourcefulness, and continuous improvement, Steward is recognized as one of the world’s leading accountable care organizations. The Steward Health Care Network includes thousands of physicians who help to provide more than 12 million patient encounters per year. Steward Medical Group, the company's employed physician group, provides more than 4 million patient encounters per year. The Steward Hospital Group operates hospitals in Malta and states across the U.S. including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah.