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News Releases
Memorial Hermann
Hospital First in Houston to Earn Primary Stroke Center Certification
James
C. Grotta, M.D.
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Houston,
Texas, December 15, 2004 – Memorial
Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center has become
the first facility in Houston to be certified as a primary stroke center
by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations (JCAHO).
To
earn certification, a hospital must meet at least four
of 10 criteria specified by JCAHO. Memorial Hermann exceeds
all 10
measures, according to James C. Grotta, M.D., medical director
for vascular neurology at Memorial Hermann Hospital and
stroke
program director for the University of Texas Medical School-Houston. “Memorial
Hermann serves as a model for other hospitals,” Dr. Grotta
said. “This certification recognizes the leadership
role Memorial Hermann has been playing in stroke treatment
for years.” |
An
important reason for development of the accreditation program
was to encourage a more rapid and widespread nationwide adoption
of effective stroke treatments. One requirement is that physicians
consider administering tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA),
a drug that can dissolve blood clots and reduce permanent disability
in
patients experiencing strokes caused by clots. UT doctors at
Memorial Hermann participated in early clinical trials of t-PA,
and the
hospital is a national leader in its use.
“An excellent treatment for stroke exists, but it’s only being
used effectively at Memorial Hermann and a handful of other
hospitals around the country,” said Dr. Grotta. “We’re
successful because we administer t-PA to 20 percent of the
stroke patients in our emergency rooms – that’s 10
times the national average.” Audrey Fisk,
director of neurosciences at Memorial Hermann Hospital says, “Dr.
Grotta and his team of dedicated specialists have earned international
recognition
for their medical advancements
in stroke care. Their expertise in treating this serious
problem has produced treatment protocols that reach into the community.”
The
stroke team works with local emergency medical providers and
with remote hospitals in Southeast Texas to extend live-saving
treatments. Through an innovative telemedicine program,
Memorial Hermann directs the use of t-PA in community hospitals
in
Beaumont, Orange, Lufkin and Nacogdoches.
The Memorial
Hermann Stroke Treatment Center provides comprehensive approaches
to treating
and preventing the nation’s third-leading cause of death.
State-of-the-art imaging techniques enable earlier, more precise
diagnosis. A stroke team is available
at Memorial Hermann 24 hours a day, and the hospital operates a neurotrauma
intensive care unit. UT doctors conduct innovative research at
the hospital and train paramedics
as well as medical students on cutting-edge stroke treatment.
For more information, contact Media Relations.
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