Bassett At 100

Stroke Awareness, Prevention Is Important

By DR. TOMMY IBRAHIM

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Colleagues,

Since February is National Heart Health Month, I’d like to focus this column on cardiovascular health—specifically on stroke awareness and prevention.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, making it the most common cause of paralysis and the fifth leading cause of death in this country. What’s even more startling is that the stroke rate has gone up among young and middle-aged Americans over the last 30 years.

The good news is that maintaining heart health, responding quickly when strokes occur and administering proper care afterward can all have a significant impact on stroke outcomes.

For our part, Bassett strives to provide our communities with excellent stroke care. I’m proud to let you know that Bassett Medical Center was designated as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission last fall. This reflects two decades of improving outcomes for our stroke patients and meeting rigorous standards of excellence.
As a rural stroke center, we cover a large region. Thankfully, we operate as one team across our network. All our affiliate hospitals—A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta, A.O. Fox Hospital’s Tri-Town Campus in Sidney, Cobleskill Regional Hospital, Little Falls Hospital, and O’Connor Hospital in Delhi—provide emergent stroke care and are ready to transfer patients to a higher level of care whenever necessary.

Bassett’s stroke team is outstanding. JoAnn Vass, RN, Bassett’s stroke recovery team program coordinator, frequently reminds us that this work is embedded in our history. Dr. Mary Imogene Bassett succumbed to a devastating stroke only months after her namesake hospital opened—so our health system’s very name is a powerful reminder of the importance of fast and responsive stroke care.

We have also been expanding our patients’ access to world-class cardiovascular specialists through Bassett thanks to a new telemedicine partnership with Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center. This arrangement with Columbia brings the entire range of high-quality cardiac specialties to Bassett patients. This kind of access is unique for a rural health system and has potential to be a game-changer for patients in need of specialty care.

As caregivers dedicated to your health and wellbeing, we will continue to strive to provide you with excellent stroke and cardiac care. However, when someone has a stroke, speedy action is required—and that’s where you come in. I encourage you to internalize these warning signs of stroke, commonly abbreviated to the letters FAST:

• Facial Drooping: Are one or both sides of the face drooping?
• Arm Weakness: Is it difficult to raise an arm or hold an object?
• Speech Difficulty: Is it difficult to understand or produce speech?
• Time to Call 911

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, seek help immediately. “Time is brain,” is a saying in stroke units. Mere minutes can make the difference between temporary paralysis, permanent damage or death.
To help solidify this helpful FAST mnemonic in your memory, Bassett is launching a year-long campaign with our local chapter of the American Heart Association. Look for special FAST educational displays around our network in the months to come.

Thank you for reading—and for entrusting us with your care.

Stay warm in these cold months,
Dr. Tommy Ibrahim

Dr. Tommy Ibrahim is president and chief executive officer of Bassett Healthcare Network.