Banner Good Samaritan expands services for stroke victims; opens specialized Stroke Clinic
PHOENIX (March 7, 2006) – Stroke victims and their caregivers from around Arizona have a new resource to assist them in their recovery. Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center opens a new Stroke Clinic today so patients suffering the aftereffects of stroke can have their condition monitored and cared for on an outpatient basis.
The clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic that brings together physical, occupational and speech therapists; nurses and physicians in a single setting to focus on a stroke patient and his or her needs and the needs of their caregivers. The Stroke Clinic is based on similar clinics located at the Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute, including a Movement Disorders Clinic (Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor) and ALS Clinic (for “Lou Gehrig’s disease”).
“Banner Good Samaritan has had a stroke team, a stroke unit and rehab for stroke patients for the past 12 years. This is an acknowledgement of the great work that our nurses, physicians, therapists and others do to care for stroke patients,” said medical director Todd Levine, M.D. “We have been working for several years to deliver the highest quality care to our patient population and this clinic is the next logical step for our patients.”
The Banner Good Samaritan Stroke Clinic will be held twice a month and increase to a weekly format in the near future. Wheelchair access, adjacent parking and handicap restrooms are available. Patients will be able to take part in research studies for new therapies and medications, as well as stroke outcome studies. Also, the Stroke Clinic can take advantage of the hospital’s Telemedicine technology to assess patients who cannot travel to the Phoenix area.
Banner Good Samaritan was certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the American Stroke Association in 2003. To qualify for the Primary Stroke Center designation, a hospital must provide the following care elements: acute stroke team, written care protocol, emergency medical services, emergency department, stroke unit, rehabilitation therapies, neurosurgical services, support of medical organization, neuroimaging, laboratory services, outcomes/quality improvement and educational programs for the staff and public.
“The atmosphere of the Clinic is positive and welcoming,” said Kris Irizarry, Banner Good Samaritan’s Stroke Center resource nurse. “The mood of staff is upbeat and interested. Patients and families are encouraged to ask questions and to discuss problems and concerns in an unhurried and interested manner. Overall, the Stroke Clinic will be a valuable resource to the community and the state, and the staff is qualified, talented and relate well to patients and families.”
The Banner Good Samaritan Stroke Clinic includes five examination rooms, an office and staff conference space. Wheelchair access, adjacent parking and handicap restrooms are available. Also, the Stroke Clinic can take advantage of the hospital’s Telemedicine technology to assess patients who cannot travel to the Phoenix area.
Located in downtown Phoenix, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center has been providing medical care to Arizona and the Southwest since 1911. Banner Good Samaritan is owned and operated by Phoenix-based Banner Health, a not-for-profit organization, and is a flagship hospital within the system. The hospital was recently named a Solucient “100 Top Hospitals” for Cardiovascular Care, and recognized as a Magnet facility by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor a hospital can earn for its nursing care and practices.
Licensed for 659 inpatient beds, Banner Good Samaritan’s staff is nationally recognized for its expertise in several major services, including cardiology, critical care, neurosciences, obstetrics, oncology, rehabilitation, research, surgery and both solid organ and bone marrow transplant services. Today, more than 3,600 nurses and staff members work with over 1,700 physicians representing nearly 50 specialties staff to provide care to more than 36,000 inpatients each year.
For more information on the Stroke Clinic at Banner Good Samaritan, please call (602) 239-4531.
Contact:
Banner Good Samaritan Public Relations
(602) 239-4411
