Time is of the essence when treating a stroke victim, and Saratoga
Hospital and Albany Medical Center have formed a partnership that will
help improve stroke care.
The agreement between the two medical centers allows doctors faster access to brain scans and imperative information to decide which course of action to take.
The two hospitals are linked electronically, allowing emergency physicians at Saratoga Hospital and stroke specialists at Albany Medical Center to view brain scans simultaneously and consult the best course of treatment.
"Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and the best opportunity for survival is early treatment," said Dr. Timothy Brooks, medical director at Saratoga Hospital Emergency Department. "The care will start here and if we believe the patient needs to be transported to Albany Medical Center, the care will continue in-route. Albany Med offers neurological care that exceeds other area hospitals and getting patients that care in the shortest time possible provides the best outcome."
A stroke victim should seek medical attention within three hours of the onset of symptoms--loss of vision or speech or numbness on one side of the body. Within that three-hour time span, doctors can administer drugs called thrombolytics, but after three hours, treatment is limited. There are other procedures, one called Merci which pulls the clot from the brain that is causing the stroke, and another which administers drugs into the brain to dissolve the clot. These procedures are invasive and are handled at Albany Medical Center.
"There are people that will have these symptoms and think it's nothing and wait it out and that is very dangerous," Brooks said. "Time is the most important part of the equation and, in essence, we can avoid a completed stroke if medical care is administered in that three hour window. People come in up to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms and there is very little that can be done."
While a patient is at the Saratoga Hospital Emergency Department, doctors have direct access to Stroke attendings at Albany Med via cell phones. The doctors then review scans together to decide the next course of action in real time.
According to Brooks, 200 to 300 stroke patients are treated each year at Saratoga Hospital and approximately 20 percent are moved to Albany Med for further treatment.
"This agreement is an example of the healthcare system at its best," said Dr. Steven Frisch, Albany Medical Center executive vice president and hospital systems general director. "Saratoga Hospital provides timely access to quality emergency health services close to home and Albany Medical Center provides access to highly trained specialists to ensure all treatment options are considered and to provide the best possible outcomes for victims of a stroke."
Albany Medical Center is one of only 13 healthcare institutions nationwide to earn the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for attaining Joint Commission accreditation with an advanced certification in stroke care. Within its neurology center, there is a 14-bed intensive care unit.
"We have the capabilities to treat the sickest of the sick," said Dr. Gary Bernardini, professor and director of stroke and neurocritical care at Albany Medical Center. "Our stroke team is on call 24/7."
The two hospitals are linked electronically, allowing emergency physicians at Saratoga Hospital and stroke specialists at Albany Medical Center to view brain scans simultaneously and consult the best course of treatment.
"Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and the best opportunity for survival is early treatment," said Dr. Timothy Brooks, medical director at Saratoga Hospital Emergency Department. "The care will start here and if we believe the patient needs to be transported to Albany Medical Center, the care will continue in-route. Albany Med offers neurological care that exceeds other area hospitals and getting patients that care in the shortest time possible provides the best outcome."
A stroke victim should seek medical attention within three hours of the onset of symptoms--loss of vision or speech or numbness on one side of the body. Within that three-hour time span, doctors can administer drugs called thrombolytics, but after three hours, treatment is limited. There are other procedures, one called Merci which pulls the clot from the brain that is causing the stroke, and another which administers drugs into the brain to dissolve the clot. These procedures are invasive and are handled at Albany Medical Center.
"There are people that will have these symptoms and think it's nothing and wait it out and that is very dangerous," Brooks said. "Time is the most important part of the equation and, in essence, we can avoid a completed stroke if medical care is administered in that three hour window. People come in up to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms and there is very little that can be done."
While a patient is at the Saratoga Hospital Emergency Department, doctors have direct access to Stroke attendings at Albany Med via cell phones. The doctors then review scans together to decide the next course of action in real time.
According to Brooks, 200 to 300 stroke patients are treated each year at Saratoga Hospital and approximately 20 percent are moved to Albany Med for further treatment.
"This agreement is an example of the healthcare system at its best," said Dr. Steven Frisch, Albany Medical Center executive vice president and hospital systems general director. "Saratoga Hospital provides timely access to quality emergency health services close to home and Albany Medical Center provides access to highly trained specialists to ensure all treatment options are considered and to provide the best possible outcomes for victims of a stroke."
Albany Medical Center is one of only 13 healthcare institutions nationwide to earn the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for attaining Joint Commission accreditation with an advanced certification in stroke care. Within its neurology center, there is a 14-bed intensive care unit.
"We have the capabilities to treat the sickest of the sick," said Dr. Gary Bernardini, professor and director of stroke and neurocritical care at Albany Medical Center. "Our stroke team is on call 24/7."
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