Every minute lost in treating a stroke could negatively impact the outcome for a patient. Time lost is brain lost.
That is why the medical and nursing staff at Marion General Hospital is partnering with the OhioHealth Stroke Network, the first of its kind in Ohio.
Officially launched last fall, the network connects Marion General’s emergency department with round-the-clock access to OhioHealth’s stroke care experts. In a medical emergency where every second counts, this immediate expert collaboration and intervention can help preserve brain function and prevent disability.
When a patient presents to the emergency department with stroke symptoms, the staff immediately connects with the stroke specialists at OhioHealth through advanced telemedicine. Activation of the Stroke Network allows emergency personnel to connect with an on-call stroke specialist within minutes. This communication ensures that patients have direct and complete access to advanced technology and critical care therapies.
Using telemedicine, the on-call neurologist can review initial test results and directly evaluate and assess the patient with the assistance of the emergency department staff and state-of-the-art video capabilities. The neurologist will view the patient’s brain scans and may interview the family. Once the evaluation is completed, the decision will be made to either have the patient remain at Marion General or be transferred to an OhioHealth primary Stroke Center at Riverside Methodist Hospital or Grant Medical Center in Columbus.
It is very important that you and your family become familiar with the potential signs and symptoms that could indicate a developing stroke. Any one of these symptoms could indicate that an immediate visit to the emergency department is needed.
• Facial Droop – have the person show their teeth or smile. Normally, both sides of face move equally. It is abnormal if one side of the face does not move as well as the other side.
• Sudden one-sided weakness or numbness of the face, arms, or legs.
• Changes in vision – for example, sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye.
• Loss of speech or difficulty speaking – others cannot understand your speech.
• Sudden onset of severe headache with no apparent cause or history.
Identifying the time that stroke symptoms began is especially important. Treatment options and the potential for optimal results vary dependent on the amount of time since you were last free of any stroke symptoms.
Becoming familiar with the symptoms of stroke listed here and seeking early treatment will help the team at Marion General Hospital provide you with the best care possible.
Marion Star