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Speak Up: What you should know about stroke
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
By: Elizabeth Eaken Zhani
The Joint Commission campaign provides advice about the early signs and risks of stroke
Speak Up: What you
should know about stroke
The Joint Commission
campaign provides advice about the early signs and risks of stroke
(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – February 1, 2012) Knowing
the early signs and risk factors for stroke and understanding that a stroke is
a “brain attack” requiring immediate action can significantly improve a
patient’s recovery and prevent future strokes,
according to The Joint Commission’s new Speak Up™: “What You Should Know About Stroke”
educational campaign. The Joint Commission is launching this campaign, which
coincides with the International Stroke Conference 2012 (February 1-3), to help
Americans understand the importance of preventing strokes and seeking immediate
treatment when they occur. The campaign was
developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology,
American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, American Heart Association/American
Stroke Association, National Stroke Association and
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The Joint Commission’s new campaign covers topics such as the
early signs of stroke, stroke risk factors, what to do if you are at increased
risk for stroke, what happens after a stroke, and what to expect during
recovery. The campaign provides helpful tips and encourages people to take
action to improve their health.
“A stroke can be
a devastating event, but there are many things we can do to reduce our risks,”
says Ana Pujols-McKee, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical
officer, The Joint Commission. “By learning about stroke, you can protect
yourself and your loved ones from one of the leading causes of death in
America.”
The Joint Commission’s new stroke education campaign is part
of the award-winning Speak Up program. Speak Up brochures are available in
English and Spanish at www.jointcommission.org. The Joint Commission’s Speak Up program urges people to take an active
role in their own health care.
The basic framework of the Speak Up campaign urges patients to:
Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you don't
understand, ask again. It's your body and you have a right to know.
Pay
attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you're getting the right
treatments and medications by the right health care professionals. Don't assume
anything.
Educate
yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your
treatment plan.
Ask a
trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
Know
what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most
common health care errors.
Use a
hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization
that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established
state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by The
Joint Commission.
Participate
in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care
team.
Speak Up brochures also are available on the topics of
breastfeeding, dialysis patients who are hospitalized, diabetes patients who
are hospitalized, visiting the doctor’s office, understanding medical tests,
recovering after leaving the hospital, preventing medication mistakes,
preventing infections, health literacy, preparing to become a living organ
donor, avoiding mistakes in your surgery, and preventing errors in care. The
brochures can be found at http://www.jointcommission.org/speakup.aspx. To sign up to receive future issues of Speak Up™, please
go to http://www.jointcommission.org/thickbox/NewsletterSignUp.aspx?KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=480&width=640 to join the
Speak Up™E-alerts list.
Statements of support for the Speak
Up™: “What You Should Know About Stroke
campaign
“Hours or even minutes can mean the
difference between life and death or significant disability when it comes to
having a stroke. That is why the American Academy of Neurology is pleased to be
involved in The Joint Commission’s new Speak Up campaign to help people recognize
the signs of stroke. With stroke, every minute counts, so it’s important people
pay attention to any symptoms and call 911 to get to an emergency department as
soon as possible.”
Bruce Sigsbee, M.D., FAAN,
president, American Academy of Neurology
“Time is the most powerful tool in battling a stroke. Early
recognition of the signs and symptoms of stroke is key to giving a potential
stroke patient the best treatment options. Time to ask the appropriate questions
is also a vital component to a stroke patient’s recovery. That’s why the American
Association of Neuroscience Nurses is pleased to collaborate with The Joint
Commission’s Speak Up for Stroke campaign to increase awareness of stroke and
empower patients and caregivers with the questions to improve their care and
outcomes.”
Kathy
Helmick, M.S., CNRN, CRNP, president, American Association of Neuroscience
Nurses
“The American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association continues to be a leader in the charge
to reduce stroke deaths nationally and build public awareness of the stroke
warning signs. From expanding primary stroke centers nationwide to releasing
the latest stroke treatment recommendations, AHA/ASA has been dedicated to
stroke care and issues for decades. While we have made great gains in
helping to reduce stroke from the #3 killer to the #4 killer in the United
States, there are still too many people disabled by stroke. There is a pressing
need to improve acute stroke care and public awareness of stroke warning signs.
The AHA/ASA has partnered with The Joint Commission in its goal to educate the
public about stroke and to help improve stroke care in hospitals nationwide.”
Ralph
L. Sacco, M.D., M.S., FAHA, FAAN, immediate past president, American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association
“Supporting those at risk
for stroke and those already impacted by stroke are important elements of the National
Stroke Association’s mission. Stroke is far too common and few people are
properly informed about how to recognize warning signs or know about available
treatment. Moreover, stroke survivors face unbelievable challenges trying to
navigate through recovery.
We are
very pleased to be collaborating on The Joint Commission’s new Speak Up
campaign that will educate people about what they should know about stroke
because it tackles these very issues. The National Stroke
Association is committed to raising stroke awareness and this is one more
excellent way to reach patients that are part of The Joint Commission’s
invaluable network.”
Jim Baranski, CEO, National
Stroke Association
“Building on the research that led
to the first treatment for acute stroke, the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke recognizes that public education about the early signs and
risks of stroke can be a rallying point for everyone involved in stroke research,
treatment and care. The Joint
Commission’s campaign is sure to enhance the goals we are all striving for – to
motivate people to take an action that could spare them from lifelong
disability and to reduce the tremendous medical and economic burden of stroke.”
Marian
Emr, communications director, NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke
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Founded
in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the
public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care
organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care
of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits
more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including
more than 10,300 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,500
other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health
care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also
provides certification of more than 2,000 disease-specific care programs,
primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent,
not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and
largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about
The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
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