 Press Releases
For Immediate Release:
October 19, 2006 |
For More Information:
Stephanie Armstrong-Helton, (810) 984-1166 |
Mercy Hospital Joins Forces With Michigan Stroke Network To Provide Leading Edge Stroke Care
Port Huron, MI – Mercy Hospital announced today
that it has partnered with a select group of Michigan hospitals
in a collaborative venture known as the Michigan Stroke
Network.
Designed to make specialized stroke care available to
patients in rural and urban areas alike, the Michigan Stroke
Network promises to be a medical lifeline for patients
across the state. Through the use of Remote Presence TM
robots, the network ensures that hospitals across Michigan,
regardless of their size, location or resources, can offer
every patient the most advanced stroke care available.
“Being a part of the stroke network allows us to
keep our patients at home without compromising the quality
of their care,” states Jere Baldwin, MD, Chief of
Emergency Services at Mercy Hospital. “With the new
technology available, we’re able to provide innovative
and high quality clinical solutions that formerly were
only available in very few urban settings.”
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United
States and disables more adults than any other condition.
It’s estimated that 750,000 people will experience
a new or repeat stroke this year. An estimated 200,000
people in the state of Michigan alone currently live with
the effects of a stroke 1.
“A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain
becomes blocked or bursts. The result can be as serious
as brain damage or death. Prompt treatment is essential
to protect brain cells,” continues Dr. Baldwin. “As
a member of the Michigan Stroke Network, Mercy Hospital
has 24-hour-a-day access to highly specialized neuroendovascular
technology and specialists that can mean the difference
between life and death for stroke victims. And, as a result
of this membership, Mercy Hospital emergency clinical staff
will be provided additional specialized training for stroke
evaluation and treatment, enhancing their clinical skills
for all stroke patients.”
Using Remote Presence TM robots, the medical team in Mercy
Hospital’s emergency center can consult with stroke
specialists in distant cities. This consultative approach
improves access to specialty care, thereby reducing the
need for travel and unnecessary patient transports and
also improves the prognosis for patients being treated
for stroke.
For more information about the Michigan Stroke Network,
visit www.michiganstrokenetwork.com.
For more information about Mercy Hospital, visit www.mercyporthuron.com.
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1 Information taken from
the Great Lakes Regional Stroke Network, available on the
Web at http://glrsn.ulc.edu.
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