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When it comes to stroke care, getting patients to the hospital within the “golden hour” increases their chances for survival and reduces their risk of long-term brain damage, when treated with a clot-busting drug called TPA. What if that hour could be cut in half by bringing the “hospital” to the patient? Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital is doing just that with its Mobile Stroke Unit. This specialized ambulance serves DuPage County’s half a million residents over 150 square miles.

The Mobile Stroke Unit is also a prime example of how Illinois hospitals are making needed healthcare accessible to communities, in this case reaching patients within a critical time frame and administering TPA in the ambulance for optimal health outcomes.

Other hospitals across the state are similarly meeting the need for accessible care through such initiatives as a women’s wellness center, a mobile van providing mammograms, community health screenings, programs to address youth mental health and more.

While most known for the services provided within their facilities, hospitals know healthcare shouldn’t stop there. For healthy communities, care must also be offered in the community. Learn more about how Illinois hospitals are healing communities.