Across our five stroke centers at New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH), we are dedicated to achieving the highest outcomes and continuously work to improve the care and treatment of our stroke patients. We participate in Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke (GWTG), an in-hospital program designed to improve the treatment given to people who have had a stroke. We measure our stroke care against the standards established within the program in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association.
Our hospitals are designated as Primary Stroke Centers1 by New York State and the Department of Health and Comprehensive Stroke Centers2 by Joint Commission. We have continuously received the highest level from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for outstanding stroke care.
1 NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital (NYP-AH), NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (NYP-CU), NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital (NYP-LMH), NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (NYP-WC), NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital(NYP-LH).
2 NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (NYP-CU), NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (NYP-WC).
Below are examples of the performance measures that we monitor and report in order to improve the care and outcomes of our stroke patients.
Safe diagnosis
Diagnostic cerebral angiography is a minimally invasive procedure to evaluate the blood vessels in the head or neck in order to assess for blockages or abnormalities of such blood vessels. This procedure is used to help diagnose and determine the best treatment for certain patients with stroke and other cerebrovascular disease and is conducted by highly-trained specialists.
The Joint Commission standard for 24-hour peri-procedure stroke and death rate after diagnostic cerebral angiography is <1%. In 2020, the 24-hour stroke and death rate following diagnostic cerebral angiography at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital was well below this threshold.
| NYP-CU | NYP-WC | TJC Standard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-hour stroke rate | 0.3% | 0.2% | ≤ 1% |
| 24-hour death rate | 0% | 0% | ≤ 1% |
Procedures to reduce stroke risk
Patients may show blockages or narrowing of carotid arteries, which are the arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. Carotid endarterectomies (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are procedures that are performed to remove the blockages in the carotid arteries in order to reduce the risk of first stroke or to prevent a recurrent stroke. In 2020, there were no complications in any patients who underwent these procedures at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, well below The Joint Commission standard.
| NYP-CU | NYP-WC | TJC Standard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carotid Endarterectomies (CEA) | 30 Day Asymptomatic Complication Rate | 0% | 0% | ≤ 3% |
| 30 Day Symptomatic Complication Rate | 0% | 0% | ≤ 6% | |
| Carotid Artery Stenting (CAS) | 30 Day Asymptomatic Complication Rate | 0% | 0% | ≤ 3% |
| 30 Day Symptomatic Complication Rate | 0% | 0% | ≤ 6% |
Rapid stroke treatment
Treating patients with ischemic stroke as quickly as possible is critical to achieving good neurologic outcomes. The clot-busting drug used to treat ischemic stroke, tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), is only effective if administered within 4.5 hours of stroke symptoms onset, and the sooner it is administered, the better. In 2020, we administered tPA to patients with ischemic stroke within 60 minutes from the time they arrived at our hospitals, 100% of the time compared to an average of 88.2% for academic medical centers nationally and an average of 88.8% for New York City hospitals.
