The MED Receives Stroke Center Accreditation
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (October 29, 2012) – The College Station Medical Center has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval for stroke care by The Joint Commission (TJC). The advanced certification as a Primary Stroke Center from TJC recognizes the hospital’s commitment to the highest standards in the country for stroke care.
Stroke is the nation’s fourth leading cause of death. Each year, about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke – one every 40 seconds. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.
According to the 2009 National Vital Statistics Report, 9,366 Texans died from strokes in 2006, accounting for 6 percent of total deaths in Texas.
“The MED is committed to making our stroke care program the best it can be – and this means partnering with physicians for ongoing improvements in quality and clinical practices, and investing in the latest tools, techniques and innovations,” said Tom Jackson, MED CEO. “When people who live and work in the Brazos Valley think about superior stroke care, we want them to think of the MED.”
“At the MED, patients can be assured of certain standards regarding diagnosis, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, with the ultimate goal of reducing the time between stroke onset and treatment,” said Sherri Welch, MED Chief Nursing Officer. “Part of what distinguishes our Primary Stroke Center is our advanced diagnostic capabilities and treatments for routine brain attacks as well as complex stroke cases.”
The goal of the MED’s stroke treatment program is to provide the best care to every stroke patient. The program includes a multidisciplinary team of physicians from emergency medicine, neurology, neurosurgery and interventional radiology, as well as nursing, rehabilitation services, pharmacy, radiology and social work.
In addition to dedicated stroke care 24 hours a day, the MED’s stroke program includes neurological telemedicine that is able to remotely evaluate suspected stroke patients in the Brazos Valley were neurology expertise is not immediately available.
According to the American Stroke Association, warning signs of a 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
If you or a loved one experiences any of these symptoms, call 911 and get to an Emergency Room immediately.
TJC’s Primary Stroke Center Certification program was developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association. The certification is based on the recommendations and guidelines fro primary stroke care centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association.