Stroke Centers
General Information

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. Therefore, quick intervention is necessary to minimize damage to the brain and even prevent death.

Each year, about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation's third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke ever 45 seconds. It also is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today. Northeast Florida, one of the most rapidly growing areas in the state, is in the southernmost part of the so-called "Stroke Belt."

Primary Stroke Centers

The Baptist Stroke Centers at Baptist Medical Center Downtown and Baptist Medical Center South -- certified since 2007 by The Joint Commission as Primary Stroke Centers -- were developed to meet the growing need in Northeast Florida for the diagnosis and treatment of patients who are at risk for or have already suffered from stroke.

The Baptist Stroke Centers received the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval based on the recommendations for Primary Stroke Centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association's statements/guidelines for stroke care. The Gold Seal demonstrates that Baptist Stroke Centers apply evidence-based protocols for diagnosing and treating stroke that have been shown to improve patient outcomes. By law, Florida's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is directed to transport patients presenting with acute stroke symptoms to a Primary Stroke Center.

In addition to Baptist Stroke Centers' commitment to providing outstanding and proven standards of stroke care, we offer stroke rehabilitation services and referral to community resources. The goal is to help those who have suffered from stroke to regain as much independence as possible and improve their quality of life.

Another important facet of Baptist Stroke Centers is our focus on community education and prevention. The goal is to reduce the burden of stroke in Northeast Florida by teaching our community about prevention, as well as improving recognition of the signs and symptoms of this potentially debilitating disease.

Our Stroke Team

Led by a board-certified neurologist specializing in stroke care and research, Baptist's skilled "Code Stroke" Team is comprised of:

• Emergency medicine physicians
• Neurologists
• Neuroradiologists
• Neurosurgeons
• Rehabilitation specialists
• Social services
• Registered nurses

The first responders to any incident of "Code Stroke" are nurses who are extensively trained in acute stroke assessment. All of our nurses on the 24-bed Neuroscience Unit at Baptist Downtown are certified on the American Stroke Association's National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Training Program, a joint course with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the American Academy of Neurology.

The Baptist team works closely with other medical professionals, including EMS; Baptist Health medical and surgical specialists, nurses and technicians; and Life Flight, Baptist Health's air ambulance service, to ensure patients have access to the most timely, best quality care possible.

Access to a Unified System of Stroke Care

Baptist Health covers a large area of population for the community, from Downtown Jacksonville to south Jacksonville and northern St. John's County, from the Beaches to Nassau County. Because of this geographic access to Baptist Health facilities, patients have access to a unified stroke system providing advanced stroke protocols based on national standards of care and recommended by the Brain Attack Coalition.