Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, provides comprehensive medical treatment for stroke and related conditions, from immediate treatment for people experiencing a stroke to specialized follow-up care for those coping with the aftermath of a stroke or stroke-related condition.

Earning the "Gold Seal of Approval," the Rush Stroke Program has been certified by the Joint Commission as a primary stroke center. This certification recognizes hospitals that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care. Rush specialists in stroke, other cerebrovascular conditions and neurological critical care provide care for people with cerebrovascular disorders in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

In addition, the Stroke Program at Rush was recently awarded the Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award by the American Stroke Association.

The award recognizes Rush's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by achieving 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Performance Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and achieving 75 percent or higher compliance with six of 10 Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Quality Measures, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care.

Rush has developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes always being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.

Our Mission

The mission of the Stroke Program at Rush University Medical Center is to reduce the risk and morbidity of cerebrovascular disease through multidisciplinary efforts in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.

Quality indicators

Rush University Medical Center has been recognized for adhering to the highest standards in providing quality care. Below are just a few of Rush’s honors:

• Designated by the Joint Commission as a primary stroke center based on a review of compliance with national standards, clinical guidelines and outcomes of care.
• Recipient of the Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association, which recognizes Rush's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke.
• Certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). In fact, CARF’s most recent survey places Rush among the top 3 percent of accredited rehabilitation programs in the country.
• Named among the top tier of U.S. academic medical centers by the University HealthSystem Consortium in its annual quality and accountability performance rankings.
• Consistently among the country’s top neurology and neurosurgery programs by U.S.News & World Report.
• Awarded Magnet designation three times by the American Nurses Credentialing Center — the highest honor in nursing.