Stroke Care

Know stroke's warning signs. BE FAST.

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Our approach to stroke care

A stroke is a life-changing event that requires the urgent attention of a specialized health care team. Stroke happens when blood flow to the brain stops (ischemic stroke) or an artery ruptures, spilling blood into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke).

To recognize the signs of stroke, consider the BE FAST method:

B: Balance loss
E: Eyesight changes
F: Face drooping
A: Arm weakness
S: Speech difficulty
T: Time to call 911 and Terrible headache

At WellSpan, we understand the critical nature of stroke care, and we’re committed to providing the highest level of expertise and support to you and your family.

Our comprehensive stroke care program encompasses prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and long-term management, ensuring that you receive the individualized attention you need to recover and thrive. 

Conditions we treat

Neuro-endovascular and neurosurgical services

If you've experienced a stroke, have an aneurysm (ruptured or not) or have other conditions that affect the brain's blood flow, we're well equipped to care for you.

At WellSpan York Comprehensive Stroke Center, we diagnose and treat these conditions with advanced interventional care, including the following treatments:

  • arterial dissection
  • arteriovenous malformation (AVM) embolization and resection
  • carotid angioplasty
  • carotid endarterectomy
  • carotid stenting
  • craniotomy for cerebral hematoma evacuation
  • diagnostic cerebral angiography (noninvasive)
  • intra-arterial thrombolysis for large vessel occlusion
  • intracerebral aneurysm clipping
  • intracerebral stenting
  • intracerebral tumor embolization
  • intracranial angioplasty
  • intravenous thrombolysis post-stroke
  • mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion within the brain

Tests and treatments

The stroke team uses the latest in technology for diagnosing strokes and related conditions, including advanced multimodal imaging:

  • non-contrast head computed tomography scan (NCCT)
  • computed tomography angiography (CTA)
  • computed tomography perfusion (CTP)
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
  • carotid duplex ultrasound
  • artificial intelligence imaging software to detect large-vessel cerebral occlusions
  • artificial intelligence imaging software to detect hemorrhagic stroke or blood in the brain
  • advanced bi-plan interventional suites that include a hybrid operating room for emergency surgery, when needed

Other advanced imaging techniques we use to diagnose strokes include extracranial ultrasonography, transthoracic echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography. These methods allow for detailed views of the heart and its blood vessels, helping us find potential causes of stroke such as blood clots or heart abnormalities.

How we can help

If you think our stroke care team can help you, we offer services in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.

To schedule an appointment, call our HealthSource referral team at 800-840-5905, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Meet our experts

Our experts are experienced in stroke care and providing the right treatment plan for you.

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Why choose WellSpan for stroke care?

When looking for a specialist for your stroke care, you can trust us to deliver the quality care you deserve. Our team of experts will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan that meets your individual needs.

With access to advanced diagnostics, treatments and rehabilitation services, you can rest assured that you're receiving the best possible care.

Advanced surgical care

If you need advanced surgical care, you can transfer from your local WellSpan Primary Stroke Center to the Comprehensive Stroke Center at WellSpan York Hospital and stay within the WellSpan Health system.

Staying within WellSpan provides you with continuity of care and peace of mind. All of your stroke care specialists will stay connected, putting your health and well-being first.

Collaboration

Our team is highly experienced in caring for people who have had a stroke or have conditions that could lead to a future stroke.

We provide a wide range of medical therapies, including lifesaving, clot-busting thrombolytic medications. When delivered early in an ischemic stroke, these medications break up the clot causing the stroke, restoring blood flow to the brain.

Our team-based approach to your care extends beyond just the stroke team. We also coordinate additional care from other specialties, such as cardiology, nephrology and endocrinology.

We will seamlessly connect you with those WellSpan specialists to keep you on the road to wellness. We also work closely with your primary care provider to keep them informed and involved each step of the way.

Virtual visits

All WellSpan hospitals offer telemedicine, a 24/7 service that brings you and your family together with your care providers, using two-way voice and high-definition visual communication.

Using interactive audio and video for acute stroke care allows our neurologists to be present at the bedside, even if not in the same facility, bringing high-quality specialty care to wherever you are.

Follow-up care and rehabilitation

As part of your hospital stay, you’ll undergo evaluations and treatment with our physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.

You can continue working with these services, as needed, as an inpatient or outpatient, after hospital discharge.

Awards

Since 2017, WellSpan York Hospital is one of only two Comprehensive Stroke Centers certified by The Joint Commission in our region. We’ve received recertification four times consecutively since 2017.

WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital and WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital have been designated as Primary Stroke Centers by The Joint Commission.

WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital, WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital and WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital have been designated as Primary Stroke Centers by DNV GL Healthcare..