Press release:
Treating stroke quickly and effectively can mean the difference between life and death; a complete recovery or a lifetime of disability. United Memorial Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has received designation as a Stroke Center from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). By meeting the specific and stringent criteria established by the State, this designation is a testament to the strength of collaboration between United Memorial’s stroke program and emergency medicine, and to the excellence of the entire stroke team.
"Speed of treatment for stroke is critical. As a Stroke Center, United Memorial has demonstrated that from the time a patient arrives in an ambulance, we are able to evaluate and treat them within minutes," said CEO Mark C. Schoell. "When clot-busting drugs are given intravenously to patients within three hours of stroke symptom onset, it has been shown to significantly reduce the number of negative outcomes in stroke. This eliminates the need to drive to a larger, urban facility for initial treatment, and saves precious minutes.”
This designation is the result of a great deal of commitment and effort on the part of many individuals at United Memorial to align policies and procedures with best practice models. United Memorial’s application for designation was approved by the Public Health and Planning Council. The Department of Health’s on-site visit found no deficiencies and validated that the hospital is fully prepared to operate as a Stroke Center.
As a Stroke Center, United Memorial will continue to improve the quality of care available to stroke patients and to implement best practice standards. United Memorial continues to take pride in our on-going efforts to provide “quality care, right at home.”
How can you tell if someone is having a stroke? Use the F.A.S.T. test: Face - Ask the person to smile; does one side of the face droop? Arms - Ask the person to raise both arms; does one arm drift downward? Speech - Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? Time - If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
