By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Guam Regional Medical City’s Advanced Primary Stroke Center has extended its care with its newly launched TeleStroke Services that allow patients 24/7 access to board-certified neurologists.
The stroke center offers a specialized program that provides rapid, advanced and neurological care to treat stroke and complex cerebrovascular conditions
GRMC's TeleStroke services include high-speed audio/video conferencing and image-sharing technology that allow neurological specialists to assess & examine patients, diagnose their condition, and establish a plan of care in collaboration with on-site physicians.
The stroke team also includes neurovascular interventional radiologists, neurosurgeons, intensive care, emergency medicine physicians, nurses, radiologists, pharmacists, and physical/occupational/speech-language therapists. Patients can access immediate stroke care using the latest treatment protocols to include clot-retrieval and clot-busting therapies to minimize long-term disability and save lives.
Since its opening in 2015, GRMC has provided specialized stroke care for the island. In 2022, GRMC was awarded the Gold Seal of Approval as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission (TJC).
GRMC’s neurosciences team includes Dr. Scott C. Dulebohn, neurosurgeon and Director of the Neuroscience Center; Dr. Luc Jasmin, neurosurgeon; Dr. Naho Hattori, neurologist, sleep specialist, and Stroke Medical Director; Dr. Scott Shay and Dr. Jeffrey Shay, neurointerventional radiologists; Jennifer Artero, RN, and Elisabeth Collins, DNP-APRN-NP, Stroke Program Coordinators; and Dr. Justin Hale, TeleStroke neurologist and former Stroke Medical Director.
“GRMC’s goal to provide 24/7 stroke care, including the expansion of TeleStroke services, is meant to improve access to the highest quality stroke care for our entire island,” said Dr. Alexander “Beau” Wielaard, CEO.
Patients who experience new signs and symptoms of stroke should immediately call 911 or proceed to GRMC’s emergency department for 24/7 stroke care. Warning signs of stroke can be remembered as ‘BEFAST’:
B – sudden loss of balance
E – trouble seeing in one or both eyes
F – face drooping
A – arm weakness or numbness
S – speech difficulty or slurring
T – time to call 911
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