Congratulations to Dr. Arshad Iqbal who was awarded the prestigious American Stroke Association Community Conscience Award at the recent NorthEast Cerebrovascular Consortium (NECC) Summit in Newport! The American Stroke Association Community Conscience Award is given annually to an individual that has been an advocate for policy change supported by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to improve stroke systems of care including: prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for stroke patients within the northeast region.
Dr. Iqbal is a Neurologist in private practice in Rhode Island. He is the Chair of the Rhode Island Stroke Task Force and Director of the Stroke Program at Kent Hospital. He also serves as a member of the Steering Committee for the Rhode Island Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program. He received his MD from Dow Medical College in Pakistan, a prestigious institute of Advanced Health Sciences in south-east Asia. He completed his neurology residency and stroke fellowship at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. Having completed his formal training, Dr. Iqbal joined Kent Hospital as a Consultant Neurologist, where he presently serves as Chief of the Division of Neurology.
In addition to teaching, Dr. Iqbal has led efforts to create a coordinated stroke system of care in the Ocean State. As a member (and later Chair) of the Rhode Island Stroke Task Force, Dr. Iqbal worked closely with the American Stroke Association, RI Department of Health, physicians, nurses and EMS professionals to conduct research and make formal recommendations to the RI General Assembly outlining ways to improve stroke care in Rhode Island. After finalizing the report, Dr. Iqbal co-authored the Stroke Prevention and Treatment Act of 2009 with the American Stroke Association and RI Stroke Task Force, and successfully advocated for its passage and enactment during the 2009 Legislative Session. The Stroke Prevention and Treatment Act of 2009 established a comprehensive system of care for stroke patients in Rhode Island including primary stroke center designation, a statewide pre-hospital care protocol and continuous quality improvement. Following enactment, Dr. Iqbal worked with the RI Stroke Task Force and Department of Health to ensure the law was fully implemented. Dr. Iqbal currently works with the Task Force and the Department to evaluate data from the state’s stroke registry, identify gaps and ensure continued improvements in care. He also maintains contact with legislative champions to make certain that the state’s advances in stroke care are sustained.
Dr. Michael Fine, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health expressed his enthusiasm by stating, "Through his work as a spokesman, advocate, educator, and clinician, Dr. Iqbal has had an immeasurable impact on stroke outcomes in Rhode Island. His commitment to his patients and to advancing legislation that is creating a more coordinated system of stroke care make him a role model in the healthcare provider community in our state. I am both fortunate and proud to call Dr. Iqbal a colleague."
"Dr. Iqbal has been instrumental in organizing stroke care in Rhode Island," According to Dr. Brian Silver, President of the Rhode Island Board of Directors at the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. "His dedication to improving the care of stroke patients has led to many lives saved and improved. We are grateful for his efforts and are thrilled that he has received this award."
In 2013, Dr. Iqbal was named to Rhode Island Monthly’s list of Top Docs. Thousands of Rhode Island licensed physicians were sent a survey and asked to name the specialist they would choose if a family member or friend had a medical problem. The names that appeared most frequently on the survey make up the list of the state’s 160 finest doctors, as voted by their peers.
Photo: Dr. Iqbal celebrates with colleagues from Kent Hospital.
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