Editorial - inadequate stroke care in San

[Guest guest]

From today's San Express-News.

-Wes Ogilvie

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA.061608.OPED_1B_strok\

e1ed0616.25b64c8.html

Editorial: S.A. stroke patients deserve local care

Web Posted: 06/16/2008 12:01 AM CDT

San Express-News

San does not do well by stroke patients.

Unlike some other large cities and even some smaller cities in the

state, there is no local hospital certified to offer basic emergency

stroke care.

That is unacceptable.

Stroke is a serious, life-threatening problem. It is the third-leading

cause of death in the United States. Patients deserve to have access to

a high level of care in their own community.

During the last year, at least 18 patients with hemorrhagic strokes

have been transferred to other cities because there was not a hospital

in San for them to go to, Express-News medical writer Don

Finley reported.

Those patients were transferred to hospitals in Kerrville, Austin and

Mc. Stroke patients in one of the largest cities in the state

should not have to be transferred to a smaller city to get the best

care.

Recently, a regional stroke committee that has been trying to address

the issue for the past two years met to discuss the problem. They have

come up with a short-term solution calling for a 24-hour trauma command

center to locate a local hospital that can take a stroke patient on a

moment's notice.

It is a small step in the right direction, but more — much more — is

required to provide the care that is desperately needed for a community

our size.

There are currently 28 certified stroke programs in Texas. Harlingen

has the only one in South Texas. Austin has four, the Dallas-Fort Worth

area has five, Houston has nine and El Paso has three.

The type of medical care a stroke patient receives during the first few

hours can have a major impact on recovery.

It is estimated that 780,000 Americans will have a stroke this year,

and 150,000 of them will die, Finley reported. About 30 percent of the

survivors will be permanently disabled.

Stroke is a serious problem that deserves more than lip service and

finger pointing from politicians and the medical community.

San stroke patients need and should have access to quality care

in their own back yard.