Eastside, which also received the Coverdell 2014 Stroke Champion Hospital of the Year Award for medium-sized hospitals, earned this latest award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. These measures include aggressive use of medications and risk-reduction therapies aimed at reducing death and disability from stroke.
“We take our commitment to providing quality stroke care very seriously,” Denise Flook, vice president of quality and patient safety at Eastside, said. “Time lost is brain lost when it comes to stroke care. That’s why it is important that patients seek medical care from a Primary Stroke Center like Eastside when they experience signs or symptoms of stroke.”
Stroke, also referred to as a “brain attack,” occurs when a blood vessel breaks or a blood clot blocks an artery, interrupting blood supply to the brain. Strokes can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of age, race or gender. The most common signs of a stroke include sudden difficulty seeing, walking or talking; weakness on one side of the body; and a sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
The key to optimal recovery from stroke is to act F.A.S.T.:
• Face – look for an uneven smile
• Arm – check if one arm is weak
• Speech – listen for slurred speech
• Time – call 911 right away
Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
For more information about stroke care, visit eastsidemedical.com.
About Eastside Medical Center
Eastside Medical Center has been a leader for 33 years in a wide range of state of the art healthcare, including emergency services, neurosurgery, orthopedics, women’s services, neurosciences, oncology, cardiology and behavioral health. Eastside is a 310-bed, full-service, acute care medical center with nearly 1,200 employees and 500 affiliated physicians. The hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission. The Eastside Medical Center – South Campus located on Fountain Drive off of Highway 78 in Snellville, provides inpatient psychiatric treatment for adults. It also has a Wound Clinic, Pain Center, and 20-bed Rehab Center.
