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Stroke Treatment at Swedish Medical Center

"Please extend my family's appreciation for a job well done to all team members. Dad was very impressed with the level of professionalism and compassion that he received at SMC.

As I have been associated with Swedish for over 30 years, I was not surprised at the great care my Dad received. And I am forever grateful."

Chief John Mullin, CFO
Littleton Fire Rescue

Stroke Warning Signs

ACT FAST

F Face: Is one side of the face drooping down?
A Arm: Can the person raise both arms?
S Speech: Is speech slurred or confusing; is the person unable to speak?
T Time: Time is critical. Call 911 immediately.
Call 9-1-1- if you or someone you know experiences these warning signs.

Stroke is an EMERGENCY.

Learn More

 

Swedish Medical Center is the only hospital in Colorado to receive GOLD PLUS Get with the Guidelines recognition from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) for excellence in stroke patient care!

Located in metro Denver, Swedish Medical Center offers expert stroke treatment. In fact, Swedish cares for more stroke patients more quickly than any other hospital in Colorado.

 

At Swedish, we act on the fact that TIME IS BRAIN. If you even think you or a loved one is having a stroke, you shouldn't wait a second. Why? Because during a stroke, 30,000 brain cells die per second.

The "gold standard" for treating strokes is within one hour of onset.

  • Swedish's average time for treating strokes is 52 minutes.
  • The average of all hospitals in Colorado for treating stroke is 78 minutes.* Choose another hospital and you could lose another 46 million brain cells! 

What makes Swedish Medical Center the top choice for stroke care?

We have an entire team focused on the urgency of a stroke. From the moment emergency services calls a Stroke Alert, we have stroke experts waiting for the patient in the emergency department. We know you don't want to waste a minute in the waiting room. Our experienced and specially trained team members include EMS, AirLife, stroke neurologists, CCU nurses, dedicated unit and rehab nurses to care for patients during recovery, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists.

  • 80% of all strokes are preventable!
  • 60% of stroke symptoms are recognized by someone other than the person experiencing the stroke...someone like you!   

Learn more about Swedish's Stroke Treatment Program, the ONLY Stroke Center in the Rocky Mountain region officially three-times certified by the Joint Commission. 

*This Get With The GuidelinesSM (GWTG) Aggregate Data report was generated using the OutcomeTM PMT® system. Copy or distribution of the GWTG Aggregate Data is prohibited without the prior written consent of the American Heart Association and Outcome Sciences, Inc. (Outcome).

High Praise for Swedish

"There are far too many people at Swedish Medical Center to list individually who were on the front lines and behind the scenes of my remarkable care. They are the best group of people I've ever come to know. There was not a single negative interaction with me or my husband throughout our entire time in their care. The nurse practitioners in CCU rock! Under the direction of Christy Casper, they are exceptional caregivers and exceptional people. Thanks to every one of them who helped my recovery be complete.

Thanks to Dr. Dennis Vollmer, my surgeon, who is in partnership with Dr. Elliott and Dr. West at Colorado Brain and Spine Institute. These guys do total justice to brain surgery and their chosen professions. They dealt with me as a patient and Bill as my support team with sincerity and kindness.

Thank you also to Som Phommatha, physician assistant extraordinaire for Dr. Vollmer. Her thoroughness, knowledge and follow-through are exceptional."

Read former patient Sara Fisher's complete story in the Vail Daily.

Related Doctors

Legendary recording artist Charlie Daniels treated at Swedish for stroke

Charlie Daniels suffered a mild stroke and received treatment at Swedish Medical Center, a certified stroke care center. Read Charlie Daniels' blog  about noticing the signs and symptoms of stroke and getting help.

National Public Radio (NPR) reports on stroke treatments

Read NPR's story about stroke treatment and a life-saving drug called t-PA that can help patients fully recover. Not every hospital uses t-PA for the treatment of stroke, but Swedish Medical Center, a Joint Commission certified stroke center, does with great success.