Los Alamitos Medical Center participates in the American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines – Stroke initiative.  The goal of the program is to improve the overall quality of care for stroke patients by improving acute stroke treatment and preventing future stroke events.

As a Get with the Guidelines Silver Performance Achievement Award for Stroke hospital, Los Alamitos Medical Center has been encouraged to develop a comprehensive system for providing rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke when patients are admitted to the emergency department. This includes being equipped 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide brain imaging scans, making neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.

The Medical Center is also increasing its efforts to prevent secondary strokes through the aggressive use of medications such as statins and anti-platelets as indicated in the secondary stroke prevention guidelines.

Other methods include the treatment of atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis and management of smoking cessation, weight, exercise, diabetes, and cholesterol.

SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR INCLUDE:

• Numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes.
• Difficulty speaking or understanding simple statements.
• Dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination, especially when combined with another symptom.

For more information about the stroke program at Los Alamitos Medical Center, call 562.799.3104.

For a list of resources and support information,click here.

Accredited Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center

• American Stroke Association Get With the Guidelines Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award for Stroke
• CIGNA Quality Designation for Colon Surgery, Heart Failure,  Total Abdominal Hysterectomy and Stroke
• Fully accredited by The Joint Commission
• 24/7 Hospital Stroke Team