Referring Physicians: Stroke Care at Rush

Patients referred to Rush for stroke care benefit from a high-volume center’s level of experience combined with the personalized care at our specialized stroke clinics, including clinics for stroke prevention, stroke neurosurgery and stroke cardiology. These clinics bring together experts from many fields who evaluate patients and provide them with a consolidated, unified approach to their treatment plans, helping them weigh the risks and benefits of all their options.

Through our TeleStroke program, our clinicians work with community hospitals to deliver high-level stroke care across 10 affiliated emergency departments. This partnership and our collaborative approach enable us to manage even the most complex cases and have earned us recognition from the Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.

For at-risk patients, we offer strategies and resources that reduce their likelihood of stroke through management of related conditions and lifestyle changes. We provide patients with the opportunity to meet with stroke neurologists and neurosurgeons who use a wide range of medical and surgical techniques to prevent and treat cerebrovascular diseases that increase the risk of stroke. We also offer a variety of rehabilitation options, including physical, occupational and speech-language therapy. Our providers can refer patients to specialists who address the potential aftereffects of stroke, as well, such as depression, bowel and bladder issues and spasticity ranging from mild muscle stiffness to spasms, among other issues.

Patients have access to new treatments and technology that can improve outcomes. For example, patients who have difficulty with motor function impairment may benefit from the use of Vivistim, a magnetic implant device that can amplify the effects of physical and occupational therapy and improve neuroplasticity in the arms and hands. Our specialists also participate in clinical trials that may provide patients with treatment options not available anywhere else. We are currently the only site in the Midwest participating in the cAPPriccorn-1 phase 2 study. This is a trial of a drug designed to slow progression of cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a cause of hemorrhagic stroke that often occurs in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Who Are Ideal Candidates for Stroke Care at Rush?

Any patient in need of emergency, preventive or rehabilitative stroke care or a second opinion will find expert treatment at Rush. This includes complex and atypical cases, such as patients with coagulation disorders, young patients, pregnant women and patients who’ve had recurrent strokes for unclear reasons.

Our specialists offer advanced therapies for chronic stroke conditions, like residual hemiparesis that persists after rehabilitation or cognitive changes following a stroke. They also provide preventive services for patients with risk factors for stroke, such as the following:

A family history of stroke
Metabolic syndrome, including diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension
Previous strokes
Prior transient stroke-like symptoms without hospitalization

Why Refer Patients Here for Stroke Care?

Nationally recognized: U.S. News & World Report includes Rush University Medical Center on its Best Hospitals Honor Roll, and Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital have been recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association with the Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award. Rush University Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital have also received the Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll Award. These awards recognize that Rush hospitals provide timely and effective stroke care that is among the best in the country.
Specialized care: We have several specialized clinics to address patients’ specific needs, including our Stroke-Neurosurgery Subspecialty Clinic, Stroke Prevention Clinic and Stroke-Cardiology Subspecialty Clinic. These clinics allow physicians from many fields to collaborate on cases and offer customized treatment plans and seamless care. We also offer dedicated services for women who are at risk or have had a stroke or TIA.
Holistic prevention of secondary stroke: We address stroke risks and comorbidities from a comprehensive approach, including lifestyle management. For example, patients can benefit from our smoking cessation and exercise programs. We are also participating in a clinical trial to measure whether the MIND diet, developed at Rush, can slow the progression of memory loss and cognitive abilities. Up to 70% of stroke patients have memory changes, and their risk for dementia doubles.

What Is the Process for Referring a Patient?

To refer a patient to Rush or request a consult, you can call our Provider Express Line at (312) 947-4725. You can also visit our Refer or Transfer a Patient page to learn more and find our online provider referral form.

Our stroke care team is committed to seeing new patients within seven business days. Specialists maintain communication with referring physicians throughout testing and treatment and send recommendations through faxed office notes or through Epic.