When a patient comes to the hospital with stroke symptoms, it’s crucial to make a proper diagnosis quickly in order to begin treatment to minimize the effects of a stroke. The stroke care team at Commonwealth Health delivers potentially life-saving care for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, and can perform treatment options such as:

• Angioplasty and stent placement to open blocked arteries and veins
• Embolizing agents (clotting medications) delivered by catheter to stop blood flow resulting from hemorrhagic strokes
• Thrombolitic therapy deliver clot-dissolving medicine to treat ischemic strokes
• Minimally invasive surgery to remove a clot, or repair arteries and veins

Stroke Symptoms

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding
• Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you recognize any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. To determine if a person is having a stroke, remember to B.E. F.A.S.T.

• Balance – Loss of balance, headache or dizziness?
• Eyes – Blurred vision?
• Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side droop?
• Arms – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he or she repeat the sentence correctly?
• Time – If the person is showing any of these symptoms, time is vitally important. Call 911 immediately.

As a certified Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center, the stroke care team at Commonwealth Health has specialized training in treating stroke. The certification program, developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, recognizes hospitals that provide quality stroke care and support better outcomes.

Primary Stroke Centers:

• Are prepared to treat all types of strokes faster than non-certified hospitals.
• Offer 24/7 stroke team access.
• Utilize imaging technology and protocols.
• Provide seamless integration with the ER.

At Commonwealth Health, we strive to provide:

• Speed – Treatments given during the first three hours after a stroke may greatly reduce or even reverse the effects of stroke.
• Experience – Doctors, nurses, emergency professionals and other specialists meet high educational standards, and are specially trained to identify stroke symptoms and administer treatments.
• Technology – Stroke care providers utilize testing and imaging technology, allowing them to identify the type of stroke within minutes so they are able to begin treatment.

Following a stroke, rehabilitation care is there to help individuals regain their independence. The multidisciplinary rehabilitation team at Commonwealth Health provides caring, personalized assistance to help patients meet their goals.

Awards and Accreditations

Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, Regional Hospital of Scranton

• Certified Primary Stroke Center (Gold Seal of Approval by Joint Commission)