Stroke Center
Hudson Valley Hospital Center is a Stroke Center
In 2005, Hudson Valley Hospital Center became the first in Northern Westchester/Putnam to be designated a Regional Stroke Center by the State Hospital Review and Planning Council. This means the Hospital has protocols in place to ensure a rapid response for patients experiencing stroke symptoms. When a stroke is suspected, our ER staff provides a fast evaluation of symptoms. The team also determines whether the patient is a candidate for Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA), a medication that can minimize or even reverse the damage caused by the stroke if administered within three hours of the onset of symptoms.
"After much preparation, education, and certifications, the Hospital is equipped to provide a head-start in reducing the likelihood of long-term disabilities associated with stroke,” says John C. Federspiel, Hospital President. “With only a 3-hour window to start treatment, the ability to identify warning signs and getting the person to our emergency room can be a life-saver."
What is a stroke?
A stroke is when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching brain tissue. Without oxygen and nutrients, brain cells start to die, leading to a loss of functions – eyesight, speech, movement etc. - controlled by the affected area of the brain.
Strokes are treatable and preventable. The faster a patient is treated, the greater the chance of recovery. For some types of stroke, treatment should be administered within the first three hours. To reduce the risk of brain damage and increase the chance of a full recovery, patients should get to a hospital as quickly as possible after the first sign of a stroke.
Some warning signs of stroke are:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance/coordination; sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability.
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Hudson Valley Hospital Center is accredited by the Joint Commission, a national organization that sets high standards for patient care and safety. PUBLIC NOTICE: The Joint Commission conducts accreditation surveys of all hospitals. The purpose of this survey is to evaluate the organization's compliance with nationally established Joint Commission standards. The survey results are used to determine whether, and the conditions under which, accreditation should be awarded the organization. Joint Commission standards deal with organization quality and safety-of-care issues and the safety of the environment in which care is provided. Anyone believing that he or she has pertinent and valid information about such matters should contact hospital administration. If these concerns are not resolved by the hospital, you may request a public information interview with the Joint Commission's field representatives at the time of the survey. Information presented at the interview will be carefully evaluated for relevance to the accreditation process. Requests for a public information interview must be made in writing and should be sent to the Joint Commission. The request must also indicate the nature of the information to be provided at the interview. Such requests should be addressed to: Division of Accreditation Operations, Office of Quality Monitoring, Joint Commission, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 or faxed to (630) 792-5636 or emailed to
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. The Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring will acknowledge requests in writing or by telephone. An Account Representative will contact the individual requesting the public information interview, indicating the location, date, and time of the interview and the name of the surveyor who will conduct the interview. This notice is posted in accordance with the Joint Commission's requirements and may not be removed.