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Quick Facts:
Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s fastest stroke care team has been newly recertified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and is helping patients significantly minimize brain damage and recover their quality of life more quickly.
Mercy’s expert team recorded a door-to-needle time eight minutes faster than any other hospital in Oklahoma as it recently completed the recertification process for The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check Mark.
Door-to-needle time refers to how quickly a patient receives clot-busting medication after arriving at the hospital. Each minute saves about 2 million brain cells, minimizing brain damage and making possible a more complete recovery.
“Recertification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center is a testament to all the hard work from our caregivers every hour of every day,” said Dr. Robert Hamilton, Mercy’s stroke care director in Oklahoma City.
“Whether it’s the middle of the night or a normal day, our team is ready to diagnose strokes and begin treatment within one hour of arrival," Dr. Hamilton continued. "We’re driven to give every patient the best chance for a complete recovery as quickly as possible.”
Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City was the first Oklahoma hospital to achieve the designation, which it has held since 2012.
About Mercy’s Comprehensive Stroke Center
There are fewer than 200 hospitals in the U.S. certified by The Joint Commission as a comprehensive stroke center. Other Mercy hospitals with the certification are both in Missouri: Mercy Hospital South and Mercy Hospital Springfield.
Standards include:
- 24/7 availability of an acute stroke team and neurosurgical services
- Dedicated neuro intensive care unit beds for complex stroke patients
- Comprehensive diagnostic services
- Experience providing the most complex stroke treatments
- 24/7 ability to meet the needs of two complex stroke patients at the same time
For many patients, immediate treatment can help prevent death or long-term consequences, including loss of vision, speech and motion. Effective stroke treatment options include:
- IV thrombolytic administration (Tenecteplase)
- Intra-arterial thrombolytics (IA)
- Special procedures to remove or break up a clot, like mechanical thrombectomy
- Surgical or endovascular aneurysm repair
- Carotid artery procedures and surgeries to ensure optimal circulation to the brain
Mercy’s stroke center also has a team of committed interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons, plus rehabilitation specialists and therapists to assist in the recovery process.
Visit the Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City Stroke Center webpage on mercy.net for details.
How to Recognize a Stroke
The acronym BEFAST outlines how to check if someone may be experiencing a stroke:
- Balance. Does the person have a sudden onset of unsteadiness, dizziness or trouble walking?
- Eyes. Is the person’s vision narrowing, blurry, darkening or showing bright spots?
- Face. Ask the person to smile. Is it lopsided?
- Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms and hold them straight out. Does one droop?
- Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is it blurred or garbled?
- Time. When was the person last feeling or seeming normal?
Call 911 immediately if you think someone is experiencing a stroke.
Visit mercy.net to download Mercy’s stroke guide.
