Our quick and coordinated response can limit the physical and neurological damage often associated with stroke, especially if patients who suspect they are having a stroke come to our Emergency Departments within three hours of their first symptoms. FAST action can significantly reduce the long-term effect of “brain attack”.

At Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, emergency medical technicians and ambulance crews alert our Emergency Department team if they are transporting someone who may have suffered a stroke. That means we are ready to begin treatment the minute the patient arrives.

Using criteria established by the National Institutes of Health, our Emergency Department specialists evaluate the severity of the stroke and determine if the patient is eligible for clot-busting medication to slow the progression of stroke. Other hospitals within Conemaugh Health System also provide clot-busting medication for eligible patients.

In partnership with our neurologists, the Conemaugh Memorial team will also perform a CT scan to further evaluate the stroke. If stroke is confirmed, our neurologists will begin immediate treatment and will continue to manage the patient’s care during the hospital stay and recovery process. 

These services are available at Conemaugh Memorial 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Patients from outside the Johnstown region who need this level of care can be transported to Memorial in minutes via local ambulances or the MedStar medical helicopter.