Local Stroke Survivor Credits Highlands-Cashiers Hospital for Life-Saving Care

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. On October 26, 2024, that person was Rose Hill. Standing at her kitchen sink, Rose felt her legs weaken and while she tried to stabilize herself, she eventually sunk down to the floor.

“I had no feeling in my legs or my left arm,” said Rose.

Her husband, Tom, was getting ready to go somewhere, but was thankfully still home and called 911. The Hills live in Yellow Mountain, about 25 minutes from Highlands-Cashiers Hospital (HCH), and Glenville-Cashiers EMS answered the call and brought Rose to the hospital.

The amazing part? From the time Rose came through the doors at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital until she received the clot-busting drug use for stroke patients was only an astonishing 13 minutes. The national average “door-to-needle” time for stroke patients in the US is around 50-60 minutes. The goal, as set by the American Heart Association, is to administer the clot-busting medication within 60 minutes of a stroke patient's arrival at the hospital. HCA Healthcare’s goal for its hospitals is 40 minutes or less. To do it all in only 13 minutes was amazing.

With stroke, time is brain. Meaning, the faster the clot-busting drug is administered, the less damage to the brain. Because of the quick actions of the HCH team, Rose has no deficits or mobility issues from her stroke.

“We constantly practice and make improvements to our processes to assure our patients get the best care possible,” said Tom Neal, CEO of Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. “Every minute we can shave off could mean a fuller recovery from the stroke.  Rose’s experience is why we do what we do.”

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and the fourth in North Carolina. Swift access to care, like Rose received, dramatically increases survival and recovery chances.

“Administering the clot-busting drug quickly gives our patients the best shot of not having long-term disabilities,” said Hollis Whitehead, Director of Clinical Operations at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. “We work hard to ensure our patients can continue to live their life beyond their stroke. Rose is a perfect example of how efficient, compassionate care can lead to no impact from a stroke,” said Whitehead.

The team at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital was able to safely and efficiently care for Rose the moment she arrived to the ER via EMS, building her confidence that she could be helped so close to home.

After receiving the clot busting drug, Rose started to regain feeling and her speech even before being transferred to HCA Healthcare’s Mission Hospital in Asheville for further treatment and follow up care. Rose was in the Mission Hospital ICU for several days, before being discharged.

“Everyone at Mission Hospital was great – spot on and just wonderful,” said Rose. “From the nurses and doctors and everyone else, I got all kinds of attention – it seemed like someone was in my room every 15 minutes. They were fantastic.”

Now fully recovered, Rose is back home and grateful. “If you have any issues, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital is wonderful and they can take care of you right here in Highlands,” she said. “I think they are angels. I’ve been very blessed to have the care I had. I’m very thankful.”

As for her experience, Rose calls it “an amazingly short story”—but one that speaks volumes about the power of fast, coordinated care close to home.