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If you’re having symptoms, go to the ER or call 9-1-1. It is extremely important that if you or someone you know is showing signs of stroke, remember the acronym BE-FAST to lower the risk of death or disability:
- B is for balance – Is the person unable to maintain proper balance?
- E is for eyes – Is the vision affected? Are the eyes deviated to one side?
- F is for face – Is your face drooping?
- A is for arms – Can you lift both arms?
- S is for speech – Are you slurring your words?
- T is for time – Call 911 immediately.
The Ochsner Neuroscience Institute’s Comprehensive Stroke Center is the leading center for stroke care in the Gulf South.
Ours was the first center in the region to be named a Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Our award-winning quality has earned us a national ranking in Neurology & Neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report for eleven years in a row and America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Vascular Surgery Award by Healthgrades.
This certification confirms what our patients and their loved ones already know: When stroke symptoms appear, Ochsner is where you turn for quality care that leads to quality outcomes.
Why Ochsner for Stroke Care?
- At Ochsner’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, a vascular neurologist works closely with neurocritical care and interventional neuroradiology to provide expert stroke care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.
- Our doctors are vascular neurologists trained and certified to provide the best care.
- Our highly experienced team manages cases from the most basic to the most complex. We care for more patients with stroke than anywhere else in the Gulf South.
- We pride ourselves on providing seamless transitions through all stages of care.
- Stroke care at Ochsner goes above and beyond your hospital stay. We offer comprehensive, integrated rehabilitation through inpatient and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy.
- Our specialists help you identify the causes of your stroke and work with you to create a personalized plan to minimize future risks.
- We offer a nationally recognized, 34-bed neurocritical care unit. Patients in the neurocritical care unit at Ochsner receive 24/7, high-intensity, collaborative care by an award-winning team.
Multiple Locations Across Louisiana
In addition to the Ochsner Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center at Ochsner Medical Center on Jefferson Highway, expert stroke care is available at the following Ochsner locations and partner facilities:
Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Centers
Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner
St. Tammany Parish Hospital
Slidell Memorial Hospital
Ochsner Medical Center – Northshore
Hospitals
Ochsner Baptist – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center
Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus
Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge
Ochsner Medical Center – St. Anne
Ochsner Medical Center – St. Bernard
St. Charles Parish Hospital
Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center
Ochsner Medical Center – St. Mary
Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing
Ochsner West Campus – Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital
Ochsner Northshore Medical Complex – Northshore Rehabilitation Hospital
Neuroscience Clinics
Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans Neuroscience Institute
Ochsner Northshore Medical Complex – Ochsner Neuroscience Institute – Slidell
Ochsner Neurosciences Institute – Covington
Ochsner Baptist – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center
Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner
Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus
Ochsner Hospital for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
St. Tammany Parish Hospital
Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge
Would you like to schedule an appointment with our Therapy & Wellness team? Schedule an appointment.
Award-winning quality
- Nationally ranked #31 in the nation for Neurology and Neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report.
- Ranked by Healthgrades as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care (TM) for eleven years in a row (2012-2022).
- Recipient of the Healthgrades Stroke Care Excellence Award (TM) for twelve years in a row (2011 – 2022).
- Named among the Top 5% in the nation for Treatment of a Stroke for twelve years in a row (2011-2022) by Healthgrades.
- Recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s for achieving the "Get with the Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll Quality Achievement Award" in 2018 - 2020
Ochsner’s TeleStroke Program
Stroke patients who receive medical intervention quickly after having symptoms, have the greatest outcomes. To provide physicians with access to Ochsner specialists, we implemented the CareConnect 360 Stroke Program, which enables remote general and vascular consultation and rounding services through innovative video technology. With this program, our patients have easier access to endovascular care.
This program is especially beneficial to communities without 24-hour access to stroke neurologists. Using advanced telemedicine equipment, ER doctors in over 55 hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi can consult with Ochsner vascular neurologists around-the-clock to deliver lifesaving care.
The quicker a patient receives medical attention, the greater their chance of survival. It’s also true that having immediate access to Ochsner's TeleStroke program greatly enhances the ability of emergency room physicians in rural and urban settings to deliver lifesaving care. Using advanced telemedicine equipment, ER docs in over 55 hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi can consult with Ochsner vascular neurologists 24-hours a day.
Ochsner Medical Center was the first hospital in Louisiana to use telemedicine to treat stroke. Learn more about TeleStroke, part of the Ochsner CareConnect 360 Program.
RapidAI Technology
Over the past few years, we’ve invested heavily in technology and manpower including dedicated on-demand stroke neurologists to support our patients. At Ochsner, we believe in being first to market with innovative technologies that change and save lives. After extensive research and due diligence, Ochsner’s Neuroscience Tele-Stroke program has implemented a platform upgrade to RapidAI for Stroke. The exponential leap in technology will improve the quality of care and provide enhanced operational efficiency.
What is RapidAI?
RapidAI is game-changer technology that combines advanced imaging and workflow to enable physicians to make faster, more accurate triage or transfer decisions. Within 3 minutes from receipt of a scan, Rapid Workflow for Stroke notifies physicians of stroke cases and provides anytime, anywhere access to preview critical patient images and Rapid results – via a mobile device, desktop, or laptop. Today, this process can take upwards of 90 minutes. The stroke teams from respective hospitals will be further enabled to quickly align on patient status – helping to reduce time to treatment and improve outcomes. Expediting the clinical decision will also allow for faster determination for non-stroke patients who may be eligible to remain local, in their hospital.
Stroke Mobile Program
Stroke Mobile is a completely free program focused on getting you well and back to being as independent as possible. It provides support, education and peace of mind. It is your connection to a healthcare team who is here to answer questions and take care of your needs.
What Makes Stroke Mobile Different from Home Health Care?
It’s a flexible and convenient program that offers support for 4-12 months, depending on each person’s recovery and rehabilitation needs. We move at your pace, allowing you an inside connection to the healthcare team and always providing helpful information.
What are the benefits of being part of this program?
- Lower your chances of having another stroke
- Lower your family’s risk of having a stroke
- Reduce your chances of returning to the emergency room
- Offer support to your loved ones
- Provide information to both you and your family
- Reduce the number of times you need to return to see a doctor
Who is the Stroke Mobile team?
The Stroke Mobile team is made up of a Registered Nurse (RN), and a Lay Health Educator, who have been specially trained in stroke care and prevention. The Stroke Mobile team is friendly, understanding and ready to help!
For more information, contact our Stroke Mobile team at 504-559-2710.
Meet the Team
Ochsner is home to expert team of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians specialized in vascular neurology (stroke), along with Advanced Practice Providers. Our Vascular Neurology team, in collaboration with our Neurosurgical, Neurocritical Care, Interventional Neuroradiology, and Vascular Surgical teams, work together to provide the highest level of care in acute, post-acute and rehabilitation settings. For cutting-edge, compassionate care, this is the team you want in your corner.
Vascular Neurology Team
Gabriel Vidal, MD
Richard Zweifler, MD
Osvaldo Camilo, MD
Jacqueline Carter, MD
Daniel Chehebar, DO
Joseph Tarsia, MD
Lauren Dunn, MD
Mark Homonoff, MD
Harold McGrade, MD
Ifeanyi O. Iwuchukwu, MD
Giuseppe Ciccotto, MD
Louis Cannizzaro, MD
Murad Talahma, MD
Namir Khandker, MD
Himanshu Chokhawala, MD
Jignesh Patel, MD
Bethany Jennings, NP
Stephanie Faciane, NP
Barbara Liscum, NP
Dionne Rachel, NP
Amanda Stewart, PA
Olga Pinar, NP
Ashton Perez, PA
Michelle Poche, PA
Mary Ellen Hodges, PA
Vascular Neurology Fellows
Julia Deyeva, MD
Kim Lee, MD
Interventional Neuroradiology Team
James Milburn, MD
Gabriel Vidal, MD
Paul Gulotta, MD
Vernard Fennell, MD
Mugilan Poongkunran, MD (Fellow)
Click here to learn more about Neurocritical Care team.
Click here to learn more about the Neurosurgery team.
Click here to learn more about the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery team.
Conditions We Treat
- Ischemic Stroke (acute and subacute management)
- Transient Ischemic Attacks
- Non-Traumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Ruptured and Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms
- Cerebrovascular Malformations
- Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas
- Carotid Artery Disease
- Vertebrobasilar Disease
- Chronic Cerebral Ischemia
- Stroke Risk Assessment and Management
- Stroke Prevention
- Cervical Arterial Dissection and Carotid Webs
- Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome
- Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome
- Moyamoya Disease
- Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
- Cryptogenic Strokes
- Endovascular Treatment of Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment/Dementia
Stroke Quality Metrics
Stroke Central encompasses the inpatient Comprehensive Stroke Care Program. The program provides a real-time, proactive approach to ensure the patient receives the best care with the best opportunity for recovery. All patients who present to Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans are eligible for this program. Stroke Mobile continues the program into the home. This portion of the program focuses on education, behavior and lifestyle modification to reduce the likelihood of another stroke. Patients who reside in Jefferson, St. Tammany or Orleans Parish are eligible for this program.
More than half of Ochsner’s stroke patients are discharged home to their families allowing them to enjoy life in their most comfortable environment.
Ischemic stroke occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. It accounts for 87 percent of all stroke cases. Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for about 13 percent of stroke cases. It results from a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain. The blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue. The two types of hemorrhagic stroke are intracerebral (within the brain) hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rtPA) is the only approved therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Ochsner’s stroke treatment team has seen positive outcomes, with an improved rate of complications.
Mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke is a minimally invasive procedure in which the clot responsible for the stroke is removed from the artery of the brain. This procedure is performed by highly specialized physicians and can be safely performed only on patients who meet certain criteria. A thrombectomy allows for reestablishment of blood flow to brain tissue in order to minimize the damage of the stroke.
There are several other procedures that a stroke patient may have to undergo during their hospitalization. These procedures are performed by highly specialized physicians including vascular surgeons, neuroradiologists, and neurosurgeons.
Stroke Support Group
Our Stroke Support Group is a program formed to assist individuals and family as they adjust to new daily life. The group is open and free to all in the area. We will provide activities for socialization and education that are designed for each individual’s needs.
Each meeting features discussions on various topics, socialization activities, and refreshments. Feedback is absolutely welcomed after each meeting.
When: Every fourth Wednesday of the month
Where: Ochsner Therapy & Wellness – Belle Meade, 605 Lapalco Blvd. Ste. A, Gretna, LA 70056
For more information, please call 504-371-9314.
When: The first Monday of every month at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Ochsner Therapy & Wellness – Driftwood, 3700 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70065
For more information, please call 504-464-8173.
