Newswise — Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas (Baylor Dallas) has been designated a Stroke Center of Excellence according to a new survey sponsored by Chicago-based think tank NeuStrategy. The survey assesses the characteristics and organization of hospital services, staff and facilities for delivering advanced stroke patient care in an effective manner. Hospitals that implement and complying with the American Stroke Association's recommendations for stroke care typically rank high in the survey and qualify for the Stroke Center of Excellence designation.
"By going to a hospital that has been named a Stroke Center of Excellence, patients know that they will be treated by a team that is dedicated to early and aggressive intervention, which can lower their risk of death and increase their chances of returning to normal function," said Dion Graybeal, M.D., medical director and neurologist on the medical staff of the stroke program at Baylor Dallas. "We're proud that this study recognizes Baylor Dallas for its efforts to deliver quality stroke care."
The study found stroke centers of excellence do things differently. They are 50 percent more likely to have a dedicated stroke care unit where doctors on the medical staff, nurses and medical technicians get ongoing education in their specialty. As a result, patients may have fewer complications and be able to leave the hospital sooner.
Certified stroke centers are also 50 percent more likely to follow-up on patients, to help determine which treatments work best and at what cost.
"Baylor possesses all capabilities of a comprehensive stroke center including 'Brain Attack' protocols to rapidly administer clot-busting treatments and universal use of effective stroke prevention regimens," said Joseph Hise, M.D., interventional neuroradiologist at the Stroke Program and physician on the medical staff at Baylor Dallas. "Our team also functions as part of the emergency department, so stroke services area always available through the hospital's Level I trauma center."
Comprehensive Stroke Care at Baylor DallasBaylor Dallas' comprehensive Stroke Program features an acute stroke unit and advanced rehabilitation to help guide patients back from stroke. In the acute stroke unit, the care team provides acute stroke care with continuous neurological and cardiac monitoring. The medical staff team includes neurologists, emergency department physicians, interventional neuroradiologists, internists, neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons and physiatrists. The unit is staffed with nurses certified in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. Occupational and physical therapists and speech pathologists are key members of the team for comprehensive care and recovery.
Rehabilitation at Baylor Dallas features dedicated staff, technology, equipment and specialized programs to help stroke patients progress toward independent and productive lives. The rehabilitation treatment team evaluates each patient's abilities and designs an individualized rehabilitation program to help them achieve their goals.
More than One-half Million Suffer Stokes Each YearAccording to the American Stroke Association, about 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. Of those, 160,000 die " making stroke the third deadliest disease after heart attacks and cancer.
Since nearly three quarters of strokes strike people over the age of 65, the aging U.S. population will spark a dramatic increase in strokes in the coming decades. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that population over age 62 will increase 80 percent by 2030, from 46 million to 83 million.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain bursts or is clogged by a blood clot or some other particle. Because of this rupture or blockage, part of the brain does not get the blood and oxygen it needs. Deprived of oxygen, nerve cells in the affected area of the brain die within minutes.
About Baylor DallasBaylor University Medical Center at Dallas, a 1002-bed not-for-profit academic hospital, is a major patient care and research center in the southwest. The nationally acclaimed medical center serves as flagship hospital for Baylor Health Care System and has earned Magnet status for "Excellence in Nursing Services" from the American Nurses Credentialing Center -- the organization's highest level of recognition.
In addition to its Level 1 trauma center, Baylor Dallas is also home to many nationally ranked centers of excellence including transplant, cardiovascular services, orthopaedics, oncology, digestive diseases, neurosciences and gynecology. In 2007, U.S. News & World Report recognized Baylor Dallas in seven specialty areas for the 15th consecutive year in its "America's Best Hospitals" guide.
Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System's subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas or Baylor Health Care System.
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