Primary Stroke Center

A stroke is a medical emergency where blood is cut off from the brain, potentially leading to physical and mental disabilities or even death if not treated quickly. Receiving treatment within the first three hours of a stroke greatly increases your chances of recovery, which is why it’s important to know the warning signs and call 911 immediately if you or someone near you is displaying symptoms.

El Dorado County residents can rest assured that Marshall -- certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center -- has a specialized team ready to care for patients when the need arises.

Patients who arrive at Marshall undergoing a possible stroke can expect:

• Comprehensive, time-sensitive stroke treatment
• Use of the most current interventional medicine
• State-of-the-art diagnostic equipment onsite
• Specially trained doctors and nurses
• All stroke treatment procedures certified by stringent Joint Commission standards

Stroke treatment begins in Marshall's Emergency Department and Level III Trauma Center and continues as needed in our accredited, acute care hospital as needed as well as our extensive outpatient services during recovery.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or it bursts. When this happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs and brain cells begin to die.

If blood flow can't reach the region of the brain that controls a particular body function, that part of the body won't work as it should. Stroke can cause paralysis, vision or language problems, behavioral changes or memory loss. Strokes are also the fifth leading cause of death for Americans and a leading cause of long-term disability among adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stroke Awareness: Know Your Risk

When a stroke occurs, time lost is brain lost. There are treatments that can help reduce the risk of damage from most common strokes if given within hours of the onset of symptoms.

Remember these stroke warning signs:

• FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he or she repeat the sentence correctly?
• TIME: If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important because brain cells are dying. Call 911 or get to a hospital FAST.

Nationally Recognized Stroke Care

Marshall has been recognized by the American Heart/American Stroke Association with its Gold Plus award, recognizing the hospital’s stroke care procedures. Marshall’s stroke team is also nationally recognized as a 5-star facility by hospital consumer ratings organizations.

In order to be certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, we must have in place specific, time-sensitive guidelines and process for treatment of possible stroke patients and pass an intense survey by Joint Commission inspectors. Marshall earned certification in 2013 before repeating the honor – which the Joint Commission awards every other year – each subsequent award year. We take a great deal of care to ensure all our processes meet or exceed requirements for care.