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Surviving to Tell the Tale
Stroke programs at both Riverview and Ocean Medical Center are paving the way for faster identification and treatment, better education, and increased survival rates for victims of stroke.
Most people think that stroke is something only elderly people experience. But when Middletown resident Karen Velez suffered a stroke at the mere age of 49, it certainly changed the way she thought about her own health.
"I was working at home on my computer," recalls Karen. "I turned to my son to say something and passed out." That's the last thing she remembers. Karen's 16-year-old son immediately called 911. Coincidentally, one of the first aid squad members who responded to the call had recently participated in a stroke education program conducted by nurse-practitioner Rebecca Graboso, manager of Riverview Medical Center's stroke program. He suspected a stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA), and understood the importance of getting Karen prompt and accurate evaluation and treatment. So Karen was rushed to Riverview's Alton A. Hovnanian Emergency Care Center, where she was immediately examined and administered a tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), a clot-busting drug used in treating some patients experiencing heart attack or stroke. The drug dissolves blood clots, which cause most heart attacks and strokes, and is usually given within a critical three-hour window of opportunity following the first signs of stroke or heart attack.
Healing Inside and Out
Upon further examination, it was discovered that Karen had a blockage in her carotid artery. She spent 10 days as an inpatient at Riverview under the care of her neurologist, Neil Holland, M.D., and is now making steady progress in her recovery. Although her right hand is still a little weak, she has slight cramping in one leg, and she gets tired easily, she responded very well to treatment, especially considering the fact that when she first came to Riverview, her right side was completely paralyzed and she was unable to utter a word. And although Karen did not need inpatient rehabilitation, for those patients who do require it, Riverview Rehabilitation Center provides comprehensive rehabilitative care specially developed for stroke patients.
Because of the rapid response by the first aid squad and the expertise of the Emergency Care Center's acute stroke team, directed by neurologist Noah Gilson, M.D., Karen is alive today to tell her story. "I sit here in amazement that I even had a stroke," says Karen. "The care I received at Riverview was fabulous, and everyone was so kind and understanding. Now I go weekly for blood work because I'm on Coumadin (a blood thinner). I also walk every day to build my strength and clear my mind. I know my body is healing within."
System-Wide Programs
In 2006, the Stroke Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center achieved national certification as a Primary Stroke Center from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) — one of only seven hospitals in New Jersey to receive this designation and the first and only one in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Now, Riverview Medical Center and Ocean Medical Center have joined the effort. Funded by a grant from the N.J. Department of Health and Senior Services, both hospitals have developed stroke programs, utilizing the expertise of specially trained acute stroke response teams to rapidly identify, evaluate, and treat acute stroke patients.
The ability of Meridian's acute stroke teams to respond rapidly on a 24/7 basis is vital to achieving the best possible patient outcomes. The teams, including a neurologist and a nurse-practitioner or a registered nurse, are activated when it is suspected that a patient may be experiencing a stroke, with the onset of symptoms having occurred in the past three hours. The teams are ready to respond whether the patient is in the Emergency Department, on a patient unit, or anywhere within the hospital. Since the inception of these stroke programs, they have already achieved great success, becoming a tremendous resource for patients and their physicians and resulting in increased survival rates and a better quality of life for patients who experience stroke.
"Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States," clarifies Stephen Martino, M.D., medical director of the stroke programs at both Jersey Shore and Ocean Medical Center. "Because of the frequency and severity of stroke, especially in the aged population of Ocean County, it became particularly important that Ocean Medical Center make it a top priority. As a result, we are upgrading our services and re-defining stroke care at our facility. We are also very pleased and honored to work closely with Shore Rehabilitation Institute, whose post-stroke care of our patients has already proved invaluable."
Both Riverview's and Ocean's stroke programs are now working toward achieving JCAHO certification and recognition by the state as Centers for Stroke Excellence.
 – Diane Gribbin
- Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
- Every 45 seconds, someone in the U.S. suffers a first-time or recurrent stroke.
- Of the 700,000 individuals nationwide who experience stroke annually, 157,000 — or about 22% — will not survive.
- Twice as many men as women experience stroke.
- While the death rate among both white men and women who suffer stroke is above 50% per 100,000 people, the rate among African Americans is even higher, with black men at 78.8% and black women at 69.1%.
- Americans pay $57.9 billion each year in stroke-related disability and medical costs.
- The largest barrier to stroke prevention and treatment is a general lack of education about its risks, symptoms, and the crucial importance of timely identification and treatment.
- Health care organizations, like Meridian Health, and states, like New Jersey, are collaborating in an effort to decrease the number of strokes and improve treatment by better educating health care professionals, first responders, and the public at large.
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