Blue Island, IL, October 13, 2012 -- MetroSouth Medical Center was awarded the Gold Seal of Approval for stroke care by The Joint Commission. The advanced Certification as a Primary Stroke Center recognizes the hospital’s commitment to the highest standards in the country for stroke care. In addition, MetroSouth Medical Center was awarded the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s “Get With the Guidelines” Stroke Bronze Award for upholding its standards of stroke patient treatment.

"This Certification is a national recognition of MetroSouth Medical Center’s excellence in caring for strokes, often called brain attacks," states Dr. Enrique Beckmann, CEO, MetroSouth.

Stroke is the nation’s fourth leading cause of death. Each year, about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke – one every 40 seconds. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.  According to the American Stroke Association, warning signs of a stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

 “MetroSouth utilizes The Joint Commission, American Heart Association and American Stroke Association established standards of care for stroke diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, with the goal of reducing the time between stroke onset and treatment,” says Dr. Eric Nussbaum, Chairman, MetroSouth Emergency Department.  “Part of what distinguishes MetroSouth’s Primary Stroke Center is the diagnostic capabilities and treatments for routine brain attacks as well as complex stroke cases.”

The stroke treatment program includes a multidisciplinary team of physicians from emergency medicine, neurology, neurosurgery and interventional radiology, as well as nursing, rehabilitation services, pharmacy, radiology and social services.

With new diagnostic tools, including a stroke robot in collaboration with the Rush University Medical Center Department of Neurology, MetroSouth’s Emergency Department has made advances to effectively take care of stroke patients in a timely manner 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The stroke robot, currently in use in the MetroSouth Emergency Department, utilizes technology similar to Skype, allowing a Rush University neurologist to visually exam a patient remotely and provides additional consultation, resource and support to the MetroSouth neurologists, physicians and specialists. The stroke robot has the capability to rotate, zoom in and allow the Rush University neurologist to exam a patient’s pupils, assess mental status, view scans and consult with Emergency Department staff. In addition, the stroke robot is portable and can be wheeled to patient rooms.

The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification program was developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association. The Certification is based on the recommendations and guidelines for primary stroke care centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association.

To learn more about MetroSouth Medical Center Primary Stroke Center, visit www.MetroSouthMedicalCenter.com/Stroke

About MetroSouth Medical Center

MetroSouth Medical Center (MSMC) is a 330-bed, all private-rooms, acute-care hospital recognized as one of the “100 Top Hospitals in Illinois,” according to U.S. News and World Report. In addition to a network of 11 health centers, the hospital offers a nationally recognized cardiac care program, Congestive Heart Failure Clinic, telemedicine stroke robot for 24-hour neurology coverage, 24-hour emergency care, Level II+ birthing center with high-risk perinatologists and neonatologists, and a Heartburn Clinic. MSMC is certified by The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center and was awarded the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association “Get With the Guidelines” Bronze Stroke Award.