DC Advocates Help Voice the Need for Better Stroke Care

 

No one plans on a stroke.  But should the unimaginable occur, you want to know that all the things that need to happen to get you the best possible stroke care will unfold like clockwork.  Primary Stroke Center certification for hospitals is a big step in the right direction for optimized stroke care.  Some hospitals in DC already have this important certification while others are working on the process.  This takes a dedicated team and having all the critical elements in place to assure the best possible outcome in the event of a stroke.  

Advocates are needed to inform others, the Mayor and DC City Council about the importance of this issue and its potential to make a huge difference to the people and families it affects.  We need the firm voice of each advocate, insisting that this issue be addressed in the District, and we need our advocates encouraging friends and family to help support the cause.  Our goal is to ensure that every hospital facility treating acute stroke is certified by The Joint Commission or through an equivalent accreditation process based on national scientific standards to ensure coordination of care is standard. 

Stroke is a bear, as the fourth most common cause of death in the United States, and number one cause of disability.  With your help in DC, we can minimize that.  Right now, a cluster of stroke-certified hospitals serve the Northwest quadrant of the city, leaving the Southeast vulnerable, an area which generally has the highest reported rates of stroke, hypertension and cardiovascular disease mortality.  We can change this.  We can work together to position more hospitals in the District to achieve Primary Stroke Center certification, and fine-tune our stroke systems of care. 

Watch for email alerts to keep you in the loop on this issue and provide opportunities to encourage City Councilmembers and others to get on board.  Also, if you or your family has been directly impacted by stroke, be sure to pop over to our Share Your Story page to tell us about your experience.  Real stories from real advocates bring our campaign to life in a hard-to-ignore way! 

 

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