#1 in State for Stroke Care

Ranked #1 in Washington for Treatment of Stroke
Rated Top 5% in the Nation for Treatment of Stroke
3 Years in a Row!

~ HealthGrades 2012, 2011, 2010

The Evergreen Stroke Program is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, which means we meet the highest national standards for stroke care.

It begins when a stroke patient arrives at the Emergency Department.

Evergreen's stroke team is ready for action with a standardized process where everyone knows what to do - what the goals are - and what needs to happen quickly so treatment can begin.

• Diagnostic imaging prepares for immediate CT scans, with a radiologist on hand to read the results
• The lab prepares to rush blood tests
• Additional resources gather, including nurses, the emergency physician, a neurologist and a hospitalist

All of Evergreen's emergency and hospitalist physicians have gone through specialized training from the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Certification Program. ED and stroke unit nurses receive annual stroke education, to keep updated on the latest guidelines in stroke care.

Stroke Treatment

First, the team needs to establish the time that the patient was last seen normal, since some treatment is time sensitive and time is brain.

Then the patient gets a CT scan to check for any signs of bleeding around the brain that would prevent the use of the clot-busting drug tPA - the best therapy for stroke. This must be done quickly, because tPA must be administered within four-and-a-half hours of the event for the best outcomes.

If the patient is a candidate for tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), it will be administered right in the emergency department.

If tPA is not a viable treatment option, other drug therapies or surgery will be explored.

Following treatment in the ED, stroke patients are admitted to Evergreen Hospital's stroke unit for further work-up and to be monitored for any complications of stroke, such as aspiration pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis and urinary tract infections.

Rehabilitation Therapy

While in the hospital, physical, occupational and speech therapists work with patients to improve their abilities.

Stroke patients needing additional therapy before being discharged will transition into the Acute Rehabilitation Unit. After going home, they will continue their therapy on an outpatient basis through Evergreen Rehabilitation Services.

For more information about Evergreen's Primary Stroke Center, please call:

Meg Briggs
Stroke Program Coordinator
425.899.2478
MMBriggs@evergreenhealthcare.org