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With 750,000 cases nationwide each year, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability in adults. As a nationally recognized leader in stroke care, Mercy is providing integrated services in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. The Mercy Stroke Center is part of a city-wide network responding in-person to acute stroke emergencies. Dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes, Mercy participates in ongoing clinical research to advance stroke care.
Early Intervention is Key
What's done in the first minutes or hours after a stroke may determine the level of recovery the person will achieve. That's why Mercy treats every incoming stroke patient as an emergency. Patients arriving in the Emergency Department experiencing stroke symptoms are evaluated for possible treatment with t-PA or evaluated for one of the stroke investigational medicines. Mercy's emergency medicine physicians have been trained in the assessment of acute stroke patients and work in collaboration with our stroke neurologists.
An Interdisciplinary Team
To provide advanced, comprehensive care for patients with stroke, the Mercy Stroke Intervention team consists of a neurologist specializing in stroke and a stroke nurse specialist. This team can be accessed 24/7 in response to the Emergency Department, as well as other hospital departments, for urgent patient assessment. Other members of the Mercy team include physical, speech and occupational therapists; dietitians; case managers and social workers. The team also relies on the excellent services of Mercy's Lab, Pharmacy and Radiology (Imaging) Departments.
Stroke Support Group
This month, Mercy Neurological Institute welcomes guest speaker Mark F. Lien, MSW, LCSW, to our Stroke Support Group. Mark is currently working at Mercy General Hospital as a Clinical Social Worker. He has several years of experience in working with patients and families who have experienced the emotional changes that stroke brings to the family unit.
On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Mark will present "Interpersonal Communication in the family after stroke," a discussion about how stroke can change the roles in the family, the grief process vs. clinical depression, and identifying ways of communicating more assertively in the family unit. His presentation will include both a lecture and video presentation.
For more information about Mercy's monthly Stroke Support Group, download this flyer. |
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