The University of Kentucky Comprehensive Stroke Program has partnered with Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center, Inc. to help develop a community- based stroke program. The partnership is designed to provide the highest quality clinical care, along with educational programs, to the Rockcastle Regional staff as well as the entire Rockcastle community.

The relationship between these hospitals allows patients to receive the best possible care during the early moments of stroke when diagnosis and administering rapid treatment are extremely important. Each year more than 780,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke which means a stroke occurs about every 40 seconds. Stroke is the nation's third largest killer and is the leading cause of serious long-term disability that requires full-time care.

"Stroke is an especially serious problem for Kentucky," said UK neurologist and medical director of the UK-Rockcastle Regional Stroke Affiliation, Dr. Michael Dobbs. "We are thrilled to partner with Rockcastle Regional to improve stroke care for the Rockcastle County community."

Rockcastle Regional has made a strong commitment to providing current and clinically effective stroke care for their community. UK will support Rockcastle's efforts by providing clinical guidance and oversight, making sure that stroke patients entering Rockcastle Regional receive the right treatment at the right time. A dedicated team of UK stroke center's neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-radiologists, and nurses will be able to provide ongoing clinical and educational support to Rockcastle Regional.

"Our partnerships with UK continue to increase access to healthcare to Rockcastle and surrounding counties." said Rockcastle Regional President and CEO Stephen Estes. "Our stroke affiliation improves our stroke identification and treatment."

UK Chandler Hospital was the first hospital in the region to earn distinction as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. UK's stroke center provides comprehensive care including extensive surgical capabilities to handle the most complex stroke cases. The center's capabilities include the Merci Retrieval System, which is the first medical device approved by the FDA to remove blood clots from the brains of stroke patients. The retriever device can be used on those patients who are ineligible for tPA treatment and has been used successfully on patients up to eight hours after the onset of symptoms, extending the treatment window significantly.

Dobbs said community hospitals can benefit from stroke care partnerships because it makes the resources of major stroke center available to their patients and staff.

"UK, a largely academic medical center, has the most full-time stroke neurologists of any hospital in the state and the only dedicated stroke care unit in the region," Dobbs said. "Being treated in a stroke care unit at a stroke center only improves a patient's chance of a good outcome."