Huntington Hospital has been designated as a Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health. This designation signifies that Huntington has the specialized staff and diagnostic equipment necessary to make a swift and accurate diagnosis of stroke, and to begin treatment with clot-busting medications when indicated.

In addition to achieving this designation, Huntington Hospital has been recognized by HealthGrades®, a national healthcare rating organization, for its outcomes in treating stroke patients. Based on data provided to the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services regarding the care provided to 450 patients over three years, HealthGrades® awarded Huntington its highest ranking for stroke survival.

“Recognition by both New York State and this objective national organization indicates that our hospital is consistently providing stroke patients with the appropriate interventions at the appropriate times in order to maximize their potential to recover,” said Michael B. Grosso, MD, Sr. Vice President of Medical Affairs.

Stroke is a type of cerebrovascular disease that occurs when the vessels carrying oxygen rich blood to the brain become blocked by clots, or burst causing bleeding. As a result, the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, and brain cells begin to die.

“Time is essential in recognizing the symptoms of a stroke, making the correct diagnosis, and beginning treatment,” said Max Rudansky, MD, Chief of Neurology at Huntington and Director of the hospital’s Stroke Center.

Clot dissolving medications known as thrombolytics can be effective at treating strokes that are caused by clots (called ischemic stroke), but only if administered within a three hour window from the onset of stroke symptoms. Patients with very large strokes diagnosed within eight hours can be transferred to North Shore University Hospital or Long Island Jewish Medical Center and treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis or clot-retrieval devices, which are aggressive and effective treatments not widely available.

The State’s goal in establishing designated stroke centers is to improve the standard of quality and access to state-of-the-art care for all patients suspected of having a stroke. Emergency Medical teams are instructed to transport patients with a presumptive diagnosis of stroke to a designated Stroke Center. Research that ultimately led to the establishment of Stroke Center designations indicated that this system resulted in improved quality of care, including timely administration of thrombolytic medications and access to designated stroke units.

Huntington’s is now one of 10 hospitals in the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System to achieve Stroke Center designation. All are part of the system’s Harvey Cushing Institutes of Neurosciences.