MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST RECEIVES

STROKE CERTIFICATION

Carthage, IL – 4/4/2023 – Chevie Lay, Occupational Therapist at Memorial Hospital, recently
received her certification as a stroke rehabilitation specialist, making her an expert in the care
and rehabilitation of stroke patients.
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States, and occupational therapy
plays a critical role in recovery. By earning this certification, Chevie has demonstrated her
commitment to providing her patients with the highest quality of care.
To complete her certification, Chevie was required to take ten hours of online coursework before
going to Dallas, Texas, for a three-day training. Chevie spent an intensive thirty hours between
online instruction, workshops, labs, and in-person training, followed by a three-hour exam before
becoming certified.
Chevie plans to use this certification for the acute and post-acute stroke population, both with
transitional care/swing bed patients and some chronic stroke patients living on the Hancock
Village campus.
Chevie mentioned how she has always had a special interest in stroke. While attending graduate
school at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, she was involved with helping develop a
student-run stroke clinic that provided free occupational therapy services to uninsured
individuals in the St. Louis area. “After coming to Memorial Hospital and seeing the effects of
COVID-19 and the inability to transfer stroke patients really pushed me to gain that knowledge
and experience by becoming a Certified Stoke Rehabilitation Specialist. By becoming a Certified
Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, Memorial Hospital can grow and expand our transitional
care/swing-bed program by offering more specialized services locally”, Chevie said. Within the
region, Hannibal, Missouri, and Peoria, Illinois, are the closest facilities with a stroke
rehabilitation specialist.
Memorial Hospital is proud to have Chevie Lay on its team and looks forward to the impact she
will have on the lives of stroke patients.