Most Mass. Hospitals Handle Acute Stroke

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 68 of Massachusetts' 74 hospitals offered "Primary Stroke Service" as of November 14, 2006. Unfortunately, the department neglects to name the PSS hospitals. But since the list includes most of the state's medical centers — and since ambulances are supposed to divert to the closest PSS if they suspect a patient has stroke — it's a good bet that any ambulance will get you to a place that can administer the acute stroke medicine known as t-PA.

That said, not all PSS centers necessarily have "neurosurgical backup" on hand, meaning that they may not have a neurosurgeon available to intervene if t-PA treatment causes bleeding in the brain. So, in an emergency, ask an ambulance technician to take you to the closest "comprehensive stroke center" or specifically request a stroke center than has 24-hour surgical backup available.

Note (ignore in an emergency):

About an hour ago, I posted the information below. While it is all accurate, it conveys incomplete information about the state of stroke care in Massachusetts and New York, because some stroke centers in each state have sought accreditation from state-run bodies rather than from the Joint Commission, a nationwide accrediting organization.

St. Elizabeth's Has Boston's Only Stroke Center

Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center is the only hospital in Massachusetts that has a primary stroke center accredited by the Joint Commission.

The hospital is located at 736 Cambridge Street in Boston.

In Washington, D.C., the only such stroke center is at Washington Hospital Center, at 110 Irving Street, N.W.

New York City has two such centers, both in Brooklyn. Lutheran and Maimonides medical centers, at 150 55th Street and 4802 Tenth Avenue, respectively, offer Joint Commission-accredited primary stroke care.