Neurological care

Medical evidence demonstrates that patients who seek treatment at the onset of stroke symptoms have less disability after a stroke than patients who delayed receiving care. This is why we have a dedicated team to provide rapid stroke evaluation and treatment.

Our stroke care program includes:

• 24/7 coverage by neurologists specializing in acute treatment of stroke
• 24/7 on-call neurosurgeons available for patients requiring surgical intervention
• AirLife Denver, a highly trained emergency transport team covering vast areas of the Rocky Mountain region
• Core stroke team members, all specially trained in stroke care (including emergency medicine physicians and nurses), as well as nurses recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center
• Neurological rehabilitation through our physical, occupational and speech therapy programs and HCA HealthONE Spalding Rehabilitation , our sister facility with intensive outpatient stroke rehabilitation services
• Stroke Alert Program, which connects local emergency medical services (EMS) with our emergency room (ER) staff for seamless stroke care
• The Joint Commission certification as a Primary Stroke Center

Stroke telemedicine

Telemedicine is a breakthrough approach to care that allows our physicians to provide lifesaving exams and treatments for stroke patients at our hospital. Specifically, it allows patients with stroke symptoms who arrive at our ER to be assessed almost instantly by neurologists specializing in stroke.

As a result, emergency physicians can more quickly treat strokes in our ER and reduce or eliminate long-term stroke impacts on our patients.

Diagnosing strokes

We are experts at diagnosing strokes, but seek emergency medical care if you notice any of the following stroke symptoms:

• Blurry vision, trouble seeing in one or both eyes or severe headache with no known cause
• Dizziness or trouble walking
• Face drooping, numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the face
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Numbness or weakness in the arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Speech difficulty or trouble speaking or understanding

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder marked by chronic, recurrent seizures associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Epilepsy, and other seizure disorders, can be hard to diagnose because patients do not always seek treatment for seizures. Even when they do seek treatment, they may not be able to accurately describe their symptoms.

If you or a loved one is suspected of having seizures, we can help find the source of these symptoms. Our neurology team delivers specialized expertise in diagnosing and treating epilepsy.

Epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU)

Our EMU provides continuous monitoring, private rooms and individualized care for patients with epilepsy symptoms. The EMU is staffed by a 24/7 collaborative team and features advanced equipment to evaluate brainwave activity.

Our neurodiagnostic services can take place in inpatient and outpatient settings to monitor brain activity, which helps us detect the neurological cause of symptoms. Some patients undergo a 30- to 90-minute brain scan, but other patients remain in the EMU for up to one week of long-term monitoring.

If a patient is diagnosed with epilepsy, our team develops an individualized treatment plan to address their unique symptoms. We also guide them through comprehensive epilepsy management strategies.

We are proud to offer exceptional neurosurgical services as one piece of our comprehensive neurosciences program. Our neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and support staff use advanced technologies and techniques to treat a variety of conditions, including brain and spine tumors and traumatic spine injuries.

Some of our procedures include:

• Reconstructive cranioplasty
• Deformity correction
• Complex spine reconstruction

Neurological rehabilitation can help improve a person’s ability to function independently after having a neurological surgery or emergency. For example, when a patient is admitted to our hospital for a stroke, we improve their recovery by beginning physical, occupational and/or speech therapy as soon as the patient is capable.

We have also developed partnerships with nearby rehabilitation facilities that specialize in neurological rehabilitation and offer unique programs and services for stroke survivors. These relationships allow patients to smoothly transition from an acute hospital setting into a rehabilitation facility.