Many people think of stroke as involving the brain, but actually strokes have just as much to do with the heart and vascular system. Any interruption to the blood flow through the arteries caused by a blockage, blood clot or hemorrhage can cause the brain to temporarily or permanently lose oxygen, destroying brain cells. This is called cerebrovascular disease, a broad category that includes stroke as well as carotid stenosis, vertebral and intracranial stenosis, aneurysms, and vascular malformations.
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center offers comprehensive care for stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases. This starts with prevention efforts to reduce your risk factors and extends through emergency care and recovery services to lessen stroke impact.
As a specialized Stroke Center, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center has earned recognitions including:
- Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and Target Stroke Elite Plus, the highest-level award for stroke care given by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
- The Sutter Health network's Stroke Centers are certified by The Joint Commission. This is the first advanced-level certification program designed to recognize primary stroke centers that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke patients.
Emergency Care
If you have suffered a stroke, our stroke-ready emergency departments and rapid response stroke teams provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment, including mechanical thrombectomy.
Critical Care and Intermediate Care
If admitted to our Critical Care or Immediate Care units, you will be cared for by board-certified critical care doctors and other specialty trained doctors and nurses. Our 1:1 or 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratios allows nurses to provide intensive and focused care during this critical time of the recovery process. We use advanced monitoring equipment and provide individualized care planning based on daily multidisciplinary rounds.
Stroke Rehabilitation
Our high standards for immediate and comprehensive care include full rehabilitation services, which means you have a much better chance of full recovery.
Stroke Support Group
Learn about rehabilitation, coping techniques, stroke prevention and other resources at this support group for stroke survivors and their families and friends. Please call (510) 869-6320 for the class schedule.
Rehabilitation Action Program (RAP)
This program allows inpatients and former outpatients to share ideas and problem-solve ways to make life after a stroke more enjoyable. Please call (510) 655-4000 Ext. 2110 for the class schedule.
Community Education
Through our Stroke Outreach Committee, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center provides health education, research, health-provider training and outreach, with a special focus on underserved and minority populations.
Our Community Benefit programs, including the Ethnic Health Institute, Asian Outreach, and the Health Ministry Program, partner with public and private healthcare institutions, academic health programs, health insurers and practitioners, community-based organizations, and community leaders to share stroke awareness and prevention information throughout the East Bay region.
BE FAST to Spot a Stroke
With stroke, you need to BE FAST. Time is critical for a stroke victim. Each minute, two million brain cells die. Learn the signs of stroke, and use Sutter’s BE FAST materials to spread awareness.
