BHB Establishes A Primary Stroke Centre

July 17, 2019

The Bermuda Hospitals Board [BHB] announced the establishment of a Primary Stroke Centre at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital [KEMH].

“An estimated two percent of the population suffers an acute stroke in Bermuda every year. ‘We recognise that acute stroke in Bermuda is an epidemic that contributes to adult disability and significant economic cost,’ said BHB Chief of Staff Michael Richmond, MD. “We are thus making the care and treatment of stroke patients a top priority.”

BHB is developing the stroke programme in collaboration with experts from Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center and its Department of Neurology’s Global Center for Organized Stroke Care.

The collaboration is part of the clinical affiliation between BHB and Johns Hopkins Medicine International. Through the affiliation, Johns Hopkins is providing educational training, protocol development assistance and project management support to aid in the progress of the centre and BHB’s pursuit of accreditation.

BHB Consultant Neurologist Francene Gayle, MD is leading the project for BHB. She said: “A primary stroke centre ensures the highest level of care to acute stroke patients including the use of intravenous thrombolytics [clot busting agents] for appropriate candidates who present within 4.5 hours of the onset of a stroke. It also ensures island-wide public education on the signs and symptoms of an acute stroke as well as stroke prevention strategies. There is also an emphasis on re-integrating stroke survivors into the community through rehabilitation.”

“Johns Hopkins Medicine International is pleased to be guiding Bermuda Hospitals Board in establishing the Primary Stroke Centre in Bermuda. We work with thousands of stroke patients from around the world every year and are eager to share our expertise to benefit the Bermuda community,” said Dr. Victor Urrutia, Director of The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center.

BHB CEO Venetta Symonds said: “We are pleased to make this service improvement. Instituting a Primary Stroke Centre at BHB creates a path for us to fulfil our commitment to deliver exceptional care to foster a healthy Bermuda community.”

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  1. Rise says:

    Along with a unit, there needs to be more emphasis on stroke prevention.