Community Medical Centers

About Our Stroke Program

A stroke occurs when a clot or blockage disrupts blood flow to the brain, depriving it of the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to work properly.

When a stroke occurs, minutes — or even seconds — can mean the difference between life and death.

Overview

24/7 Help Available

We have a dedicated team of highly skilled medical professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat those who are having a stroke, including:

Neurointerventional neurologists/neurosurgeons/neuroradiologists
Stroke neurologists
Neurosurgeons
Neurointensivists
Nurses
Therapists
Laboratory and pharmacy staff
Social workers

Our evaluation and treatment procedures follow extensive guidelines that address both emergency and ongoing care. In the case of ischemic strokes (80% of stroke cases), we administer thrombolytic medication to break up the clot and restore blood flow to the brain.

What You Can Expect

Your ambulance team communicating with the hospital before you arrive in our emergency department.
A head CT scan or brain MRI scan performed and interpreted within 45 minutes of admittance.
Stroke rehabilitation therapy offered immediately after hospitalization to improve long-term outcomes and lower the risk of complications.

Quality Measures
We track and review various quality indicators to ensure we're delivering effective care by looking at the outcomes of our patients. View the current quality metrics for our facilities.

Tests & Treatment

Tests

To help diagnose a stroke, your doctor may order a number of tests and assessments, which can include:

Blood tests.
X-rays.
Ultrasound scanning.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is a safe and painless test that uses radio waves and magnets to create a detailed view of the inside of the body.
Computerized tomography (CT) scan. A CT scan uses X-rays to create detailed images of the inside of the body.
Additional tests. These are conducted to find out whether there are heart-related problems, such as an irregular heartbeat.

Treatment

Before deciding on a course of treatment for you, we'll take into account your specific diagnosis and other factors to come up with an option that best fits your individual needs. We use a multi-disciplinary approach, which means bringing in experts from various fields and divisions to come up with a plan of treatment.

Generally, treatment may include:

Medication. This can include medications to dissolve clots, reduce pressure on the brain or control blood pressure.
Surgery. There are a number of options for surgical care, depending on factors ranging from the type of stroke (transient ischemic, ischemic or hemorrhagic) to severity.

Award-Winning
Stroke Programs

We're proud to care for all types of strokes. Our programs have been recognized by The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association:

Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center

Community Regional Medical Center

Primary Stroke Center

Clovis Community Medical Center