The nation's top stroke experts say more U.S. hospitals should develop special centers to care for stroke patients. But the treatments must be given quickly to work. So hospitals must be organized to make a fast diagnosis and deliver the appropriate care. The group, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said 66 percent of hospitals surveyed didn't have written plans for treating stroke patients. And 82 percent weren't equipped to rapidly diagnose a stroke patient.
Stroke is a medical emergency.
With the right treatments, many stroke patients can make a full recovery. Patients are cared for in a separate stroke unit where nurses, physicians and other professionals have special training. Laboratory and imaging services are available 24 hours a day for a quick diagnosis. Rehabilitation services are available on-site in a specialized unit for stroke patients. As a research center, our patients have access to the latest stroke treatments and rehabilitation methods.