The Brain Attack Coalition's recommendations for a Primary Stroke Center address the following 11 major aspects of acute stroke care:
Acute Stroke Teams
The Acute Stroke Team should include a physician with experience in diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular disease, and one other healthcare provider as a minimum. Hospital-based stroke teams should be available around-the-clock, seven days a week in order to evaluate within 15 minutes any patient who may have suffered a stroke.
Written Care Protocols
Hospitals should have written procedures to streamline and accelerate the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. The availability of such protocols is a key step in reducing time to treatment as well as complications from treatment.
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency medical services (EMS) have a vital role in the rapid transportation and survival of stroke patients. Improved coordination between hospitals and EMS is a cornerstone of a Primary Stroke Center. One element of a well integrated system would be effective communication between EMS personnel and the stroke center during rapid transport of a patient experiencing a stroke.
Emergency Department
The emergency department staff should have training in diagnosing and treating stroke and have good lines of communication with both EMS and the acute stroke team.
Stroke Unit
A Primary Stroke Center wishing to provide care beyond the initial life-threatening period should have access to a Stroke Unit where patients can receive specialized monitoring and care. Some hospitals may choose to stabilize patients and transfer them to another facility.
Neurosurgical Services
Primary Stroke Centers should be able to provide neurosurgical services to stroke patients within two hours of when the services are deemed necessary.
Support of Medical Organization
The facility and its staff, including administration, should be committed to the Primary Stroke Center. This comprehensive commitment ensures the delivery of high quality and efficient care to acute stroke patients.
Neuroimaging
The ability to perform brain imaging studies on acute stroke patients is vital for physicians to make a fast, accurate diagnosis of stroke patients. Brain imaging studies include CT scans. A Primary Stroke Center must be capable of performing an imaging study within 25 minutes of the physician's order. The image should be evaluated by a physician within 20 minutes of completion.
Laboratory Services
Standard laboratory services should be available around-the-clock, seven days per week at a Primary Stroke Center. Standard laboratory services include rapidly performing and reporting blood counts, blood chemistries and coagulation studies. A Primary Stroke Center also should be able to rapidly obtain ECG and chest x-rays.
Outcomes/Quality Improvement
Primary Stroke Centers should have a database or registry for tracking the number and type of stroke patients seen, their treatments, timeline for treatments and some measurement of patient outcome.
Educational Programs
The professional staff of a Primary Stroke Center should receive at least eight hours per year of continuing medical education credit. In addition to professional education, the Primary Stroke Center should plan and implement at least two annual programs to educate the public about stroke prevention, diagnosis and availability for emergency treatment.
Acute Stroke Teams
The Acute Stroke Team should include a physician with experience in diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular disease, and one other healthcare provider as a minimum. Hospital-based stroke teams should be available around-the-clock, seven days a week in order to evaluate within 15 minutes any patient who may have suffered a stroke.
Written Care Protocols
Hospitals should have written procedures to streamline and accelerate the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. The availability of such protocols is a key step in reducing time to treatment as well as complications from treatment.
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency medical services (EMS) have a vital role in the rapid transportation and survival of stroke patients. Improved coordination between hospitals and EMS is a cornerstone of a Primary Stroke Center. One element of a well integrated system would be effective communication between EMS personnel and the stroke center during rapid transport of a patient experiencing a stroke.
Emergency Department
The emergency department staff should have training in diagnosing and treating stroke and have good lines of communication with both EMS and the acute stroke team.
Stroke Unit
A Primary Stroke Center wishing to provide care beyond the initial life-threatening period should have access to a Stroke Unit where patients can receive specialized monitoring and care. Some hospitals may choose to stabilize patients and transfer them to another facility.
Neurosurgical Services
Primary Stroke Centers should be able to provide neurosurgical services to stroke patients within two hours of when the services are deemed necessary.
Support of Medical Organization
The facility and its staff, including administration, should be committed to the Primary Stroke Center. This comprehensive commitment ensures the delivery of high quality and efficient care to acute stroke patients.
Neuroimaging
The ability to perform brain imaging studies on acute stroke patients is vital for physicians to make a fast, accurate diagnosis of stroke patients. Brain imaging studies include CT scans. A Primary Stroke Center must be capable of performing an imaging study within 25 minutes of the physician's order. The image should be evaluated by a physician within 20 minutes of completion.
Laboratory Services
Standard laboratory services should be available around-the-clock, seven days per week at a Primary Stroke Center. Standard laboratory services include rapidly performing and reporting blood counts, blood chemistries and coagulation studies. A Primary Stroke Center also should be able to rapidly obtain ECG and chest x-rays.
Outcomes/Quality Improvement
Primary Stroke Centers should have a database or registry for tracking the number and type of stroke patients seen, their treatments, timeline for treatments and some measurement of patient outcome.
Educational Programs
The professional staff of a Primary Stroke Center should receive at least eight hours per year of continuing medical education credit. In addition to professional education, the Primary Stroke Center should plan and implement at least two annual programs to educate the public about stroke prevention, diagnosis and availability for emergency treatment.
2 comments:
My son 23 has been a victim of Chronic SCHIZENCEPHALY for many years. I am excited to share this testimony as i have been sad and confused for the past 23 years of my son been a victim of SCHIZENCEPHALY. Anti-psychotic medicine they induce psychosis, never helped rather worsened the situation, Homeopathy medication is good but has a lot of limitation too. I looked for solution everywhere all to no avail until I contacted a Herbal Doctor whose medicine works perfectly for him, my son situation has greatly improved which is what I have always wanted. If you have related problem, don't lose hope, contact him (ronniemd70@gmail.com)
I don’t want people to feel sorry for me, that’s not why I am writing this post. My child six years ago, was born with Bi-lateral closed lip schizepcephaly, which is even more unique than the regular cases. Due to this disability, she also developed Cerebral Palsy affecting the left side of her body. We’ve learned the part of her brain which has been affected has also impaired her ability to reason. We’ve been lucky so far though it affects everyone differently and she had been on the very mild side of everything. Another thing we had to dealt with much are seizures. She was highly prone to having one or multiples and we’ve seemed to look out with some petite mals when she was younger and they occurred in her sleep more than any other time.
Luckily, everything seemed to be okay after she took an Herbal Medicine. I wish I could say that’s the end of it because she havn't had any symptoms since then.
Having a child with special needs is difficult. You sit living in fear of the reality your child may face, never really knowing what will happen until it does. Do not expose yourself to more danger, use a herbal remedy that is safe and effective. If interested contact him:
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