CalvertHealth is proud to be one of the many community partners supporting Calvert County's designation of becoming a "Stroke Smart" County.

Learn More

Stroke Overview

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and speeding recovery times.

A stroke is a "brain attack" that cuts off vital blood flow and oxygen to the brain. It is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. There are two distinct types of strokes: hemorrhagic and ischemic. Hemorrhagic strokes are usually caused by a burst or leaking vessel in the brain. Ischemic strokes are usually caused by a blockage or clot in a vessel in the brain.

Stroke symptoms include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of 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 or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If the person shows any of these symptoms, Call 911 immediately.
STROKE is an emergency, every minute counts. Time is BRAIN!

The American Stroke Association is solely focused on reducing disability and death from stroke. Please take advantage of this resource and visit their website for further detailed stroke information and education resources.

CalvertHealth Primary Stroke Center

In March of 2008, CalvertHealth was designated a Primary Stroke Center by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) recognizing CalvertHealth meets or exceeds the requirements set by the state for effectively treating strokes. In May of 2013 and again in 2018, the hospital was re-designated as a primary stroke center for a five year period. This designation assures stroke patients CalvertHealth is using the latest and best therapies and treatments to ensure the best possible outcomes.

In addition, the designation permits Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel to transport apparent stroke patients to CalvertHealth over a non-designated center.

To receive the re-designation as a Primary Stroke Center, Calvert's program went through a rigorous application process and submitted data on stroke admissions, treatment plans and outcomes. The final step was an onsite inspection by the MIEMSS survey team in June 2023, where a surveyor evaluated our processes, interviewed staff and looked at our outcomes.

Excellence in Stroke Care Data

CalvertHealth Medical Center has received the American Heart GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Quality Achievement Award for our commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. This marks the 12th consecutive year CalvertHealth has been recognized for stroke achievement by the American Heart Association.

Each year program participants apply for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, CalvertHealth also provides education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.

Additionally, CalvertHealth Medical Center received the Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90% of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”

Helpful Resources

The CalvertHealth Stroke Wellness Group meets the first Wednesday of each month from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Stroke survivors, caregivers and anyone interested in learning more about stroke wellness, prevention and support are welcome to join us for this free meeting once a month. We will have guest speakers join us to provide education on nutrition, risk factors, prevention and fitness. The group also offers support for stroke survivors and caregivers as they go through their journey to recovery.

For information, call Crystal Gray at 410.414.4759.

Stroke Prevention:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/