Bermuda Hospitals Board establishes a Primary Stroke Centre

Wednesday 17 July 2019: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces 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 (JHMI). 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.”

Caption:

Pictured from left: Angela Gilbert RPT, BHB Clinical Manager, Allied Health Services;  Heloisa Ambrosia RN, BHB Clinical Nurse Educator (Med/Surg Services); Holly Russell, OTR/L, Rehab Team Leader, RTS Team Leader, John Hopkins Hospital; April Pruski, MD, Assistant Professor SOM PMR Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Lisa Klein, Clinical Nurse Specialist, CNRN, JHMI; Brenda Johnson, MD, Assistant Director, Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Stroke Center and Assistant Professor of Neurology , Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Victor Urrutia, MD, Director The Johns Hopkins Hospital Comprehensive Stroke Center and Associate Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Judy Richardson RN, BHB Chief of Nursing; Francene Gayle MD, BHB Physician Lead, Primary Stroke Centre; Consultant Internist and Neurologist; Nevin Williams MD, BHB Assistant Director of Hospitalist Services; Kathy Albuoy RN, BHB Clinical Manager, Ascendant Partner Re; Phillip Jones MD, BHB Emergency Physician; Margia Arguello, Associate, Global Services, JHMI; Michael Ashton MD,BHB Chief of Medicine; Cathy Stovell BHB Public Relations and Norma Smith RN, BHB Clinical Director, Medical/Surgical Services