Would you know the signs if a loved one was having a stroke?
October 29 is World Stroke Day, making this a great opportunity to learn how to recognize when someone may be having a stroke as well as the top stroke hospitals in your area.
Someone has a stroke every 40 seconds and someone will die from stroke every three minutes. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and it’s also a leading cause of disability among American adults.
When someone is having a stroke, time equals brain function. Recognizing the signs of stroke early and acting quickly is crucial and can make the difference between someone making a recovery or not.
The American Heart Association has developed an easy way to recognize and remember the warning signs of stroke – F.A.S.T.
- Face: Ask the person to smile. Does the face droop to one side or is it numb?
- Arm: Ask the person to raise their arms. Does one of them drift down?
- Speech: Have the person repeat a simple phrase. Is his or her speech slurred or strange in some way?
- Time: If you see any of these signs, immediately call 911 for help.
For most stroke patients, early treatment offers the best chance for recovery. The sooner a person gets to the hospital, the sooner they can start receiving vital medical care.
This is also an opportune time to share that in Cincinnati, Mercy Health now has four Primary Stroke Certified hospitals, more than any other health system in the area. That means local stroke patients can count on Mercy Health to get top quality, timely stroke care when it counts.
Four Mercy Health Hospitals in Cincinnati Are Joint Commission Certified as Primary Stroke Centers
The Joint Commission has awarded its Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers to Mercy Health’s Anderson Hospital, Fairfield Hospital, West Hospital and The Jewish Hospital.
Primary stroke centers offer demonstrated patient benefits, including:
- Dedicated stroke care programs
- Medical teams with stroke care training
- Tailored care to meet individual stroke patients’ needs
- Patient engagement in their stroke care
- Post-discharge care based on expert guidelines
- Continual data assessment to improve the quality of care for stroke patients
The Joint Commission also certified Mercy Health – Clermont Hospital and Mt. Orab Medical Center as Acute Stroke Ready Hospitals.
In addition to having dedicated stroke programs run by trained medical professionals, acute stroke ready hospitals offer:
- Relationships with local emergency management systems (EMS) that can assess patients in the field and communicate with the hospital before bringing a patient with a stroke to the emergency department
- Full-time availability to stroke expertise and the ability to transfer patients to hospitals that provide comprehensive stroke services.
- Full-time ability to perform rapid diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing to facilitate the administration of proper medication to eligible patients
To learn more about stroke’s risk and warning signs, reach out to your doctor today. If you need a primary care physician, we are here for you. Call 513-952-5000 to find a doctor near you today.
