Train and qualify as a stroke certified “ GET WITH THE GUIDELINES” hospital through the American Heart Association’s stroke division and educate your community to all the danger and symptoms.
Recently a young neurologist told me the average age of the patients on his ward who had suffered strokes when he did his residency was 31! An incredibly young age for a condition traditionally thought to be an older person’s malady. What’s contributing to the incidence of this killer among younger, more typically healthy patients?
- Higher stress levels in our society
- Higher incidence of obesity and inactivity
- Higher incidence of diabetes
- Smoking
- The associated rise in blood pressures that comes with each of the above
- Patients not being aware of the dangers of high blood pressure and lack of attention to it because of their younger age.
Most stroke patients enter the hospital through the ER and one way to market your ER is through educating your community. Strokes can often come with symptoms as slight as a numb hand or fingers –something easily mistaken for other problems.
Having your market fully aware of the symptoms and preparing your department as a stroke certified hospital through the American Heart Association can deliver the much needed top of mind awareness when stroke symptoms strike the patient or their family.
The first three hours after a stroke are critical as a clot busting drug called tPA can be administered to reduce the long term disability of a stroke. Having the community think of your hospital as very stroke prepared and capable, along with timely treatment, is a must for this ever increasing medical crisis.
Go to strokeassociation.org for more details
