Stroke

If you or a loved one suffers a stroke, you might think that just getting to the hospital is all you need to worry about. And that’s partially true – immediate, or "acute” treatment (within the first three hours) is crucial.

But beyond that, there are actually different levels of care available to stroke patients depending on the facility and its individual capabilities. One such distinction is a Primary Stroke Center.

What is a Sentara Primary Stroke Center?

A Primary Stroke Center is a facility that has been certified to provide highly specialized care to stroke patients via a dedicated team that’s activated immediately to diagnose and treat patients the second they arrive in the ER. To be classified this way, a hospital needs to meet certain qualifications, such as:

• Access to brain surgeons and neurological services
• 24-hour access to MRI or CT scan capabilities
• Additional, specialized stroke training for emergency personnel
• An acute stroke team must be available around the clock

At Sentara, our Sentara Primary Stroke Centers are accredited by the DNVHC (Det Norske VERITAS Healthcare, Inc). This means that Sentara demonstrated exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care.

The experience of our Sentara specialists serve to directly minimize neurological damage and mortality risks - in effect preserving proper nervous system functions.