In the News

New Specialized Care Unit for Stroke Patients garners National Award

A new Stroke Unit at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen has received “Recognition” status with the American Stroke Association, becoming one of the first recognized stroke units in the state of Texas.

The six-bed Stroke Unit, which is located on the second floor of the South Tower, provides specialized care for patients and promotes education on ways to prevent stroke.

Valley Baptist-Harlingen received the honor during an American Stroke Association meeting in San Antonio entitled “Get With The Guidelines -- Stroke.”

Rella Adams, RN, Ph.D., who spearheaded the application effort for Valley Baptist, said the Stroke Association requires recognized hospitals to have specialized physician “champions” for their stroke unit.  At Valley Baptist-Harlingen, Dr. Eric Six, Neurosurgeon, serves as “co-champion” along with two neurologists, Dr. Victoria Parada and Dr. Zainab Contractor.

Valley Baptist-Harlingen previously received the top 5-star rating in stroke treatment from HealthGrades, a national healthcare quality ratings firm.

Julio Olmeda, Clinical Nurse Manager for Neuroscience Services for Valley Baptist-Harlingen, said the Stroke Unit holds education classes for nurses and Emergency Medical Services personnel. “We’re treating our stroke patients aggressively and providing continuing education opportunities for our staff,” he said.

In addition, Valley Baptist’s educational efforts are expanding to the community through education on prevention of stroke. The Valley Baptist Heart Corner at Valle Vista Mall in Harlingen offers stroke screenings and risk assessments in a setting which is convenient to many residents.

In addition, RehabCare, Valley Baptist’s partner for rehabilitation services in both Harlingen and Brownsville, is implementing a stroke education program called “Starting Now.”

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, but many lives could be saved if patients sought emergency care sooner. TPA, a clot-busting drug / “tissue plasminogen activator,” has shown promise in treating the effects of stroke -- but only if it's administered within three hours of the onset of symptoms. TPA dissolves clots that block blood from flowing to the brain. The sooner treatment begins, the better the chances of surviving without disabilities. Valley Baptist uses TPA when medically indicated to reverse strokes.

“People need to educate themselves about the signs and symptoms of strokes and seek medical attention quickly,” said Dr. Michael Mohun, Chief of Emergency Medicine at VBMC-Harlingen. Dr. Mohun serves on a State Stroke Committee, and the Texas Legislature is considering a special bill on stroke care.