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“Time is critical in caring for stroke patients,” said Anthony Cooper, President and CEO of Arnot Health. “We have protocols, a program of care and a team in place to care for patients presenting symptoms of stroke with a rapid, definitive treatment plan.”
The designation was created by New York State to improve the standard and access to quality of care for patients with a diagnosis of stroke. This designation demonstrates Arnot Health possesses the clinical expertise, equipment, trained staff and rehabilitation skill to effectively diagnose and treat stroke patients.
Studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association have shown that patients treated at hospitals with a Stroke Center have reduced morbidity and mortality, fewer complications, improved long-term outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.
The Stroke Team at Arnot Ogden Medical Center is comprised of a multidisciplinary group that includes emergency physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, radiologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, vascular surgeons and rehabilitation specialists. The stroke team is available to respond for evaluation and treatment of stroke patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the Emergency Department.
“We wanted to be in a position to help stave the growing trend in deaths related to stroke,” said Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Emergency Department Medical Director. “This designation demonstrates that we bring together some of the best practitioners in the area with regard to stroke treatment, which presents an obvious benefit to the people of this community.”
In 2004, Arnot Ogden Medical Center treated 139 cases of stroke, primarily through the Emergency Department, up from the 126 cases treated in 2002.
According to state statistics, more people die from stroke in Western New York than in any other region. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer and stroke is the No. 3 killer in the Northeast and in the United States. Heart disease and stroke annually kill more than 90,000 people in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. That’s more than cancer and diabetes deaths combined.
PROCEDURE
Emergency Medical Services will notify the Medical Center when en route with a stroke patient, putting the Stroke Team into action. Patients receive immediate and aggressive evaluation to see if they can be treated with clot-dissolving therapy.
The patient is immediately triaged and a CT scan of the brain is taken. Arnot Ogden Medical Center’s Stroke Center has the ability to get an immediate reading of the CT scan and have consultation with a neurologist and/or a neurosurgeon if necessary to initiate a treatment plan.
The Stroke Center is also tasked with the obligation of communicating with the local EMS community their new designation as well as conducting and supporting public education about stroke prevention. The complete Emergency Medical Services protocol can be found at http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/pdf/strokeprotocol.pdf.
ABOUT STROKE
A stroke, also known as a “brain attack,” occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a clot or blockage, or a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Generally, effects from a stroke range from mild to severe and can cause a variety of problems including partial or complete paralysis, deficits in motor functions, language deficiencies, loss of comprehension and word retrieval and emotional changes. Patients may also experience sensory disturbances including pain or numbness following a stroke. Immediate treatment can save someone’s life and enhance his or her chances for a successful recovery.
Five warning signs of stroke include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Stroke is the nation’s third-leading cause of death and is a major cause of disability. According to the American Heart Institute, about 700,000 Americans will have a stroke this year — that’s someone every 45 seconds. Stroke is our nation’s No. 3 killer and is a leading cause of severe, long-term disability, accounting for more than 1 of every 15 deaths in the United States in 2002.