Piedmont Medical Center is now a Certified Advanced Primary Stroke Center

Online Physician Referral 

South Carolina has the second-highest stroke death rate in the U.S.  Also known as brain attack, stroke kills thousands of South Carolinians annually.

Stroke patients need immediate advanced treatment to have the best chances of survival and full recovery.  As part of the Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) stroke network, Piedmont delivers it.

We offer comprehensive care for acute stroke patients from the emergency room through acute care. 

When a patient arrives at Piedmont with stroke symptoms, no matter what hour of the day or night or day of the week, Piedmont’s emergency physicians can collaborate via secure video, audio and data links with the MUSC Stroke Center team of interventional stroke neurologists. This brings the specialized resources of MUSC, a primary stroke center, to each Piedmont stroke patient. 

The MUSC team aids Piedmont physicians in making accurate stroke diagnoses and timely treatment decisions. For example, the clot-busting drug Alteplase [TPA] can save lives and health, but not all hospitals can administer it properly. The window for receiving the drug is small, only three hours from symptom onset. 

The network collaboration makes it possible for Piedmont physicians to give TPA properly within the time window of effectiveness. Patients can receive this advanced treatment without risky, time-consuming transfer to another center.

Persons showing stroke symptoms need immediate emergency medical care. Recognizing stroke's symptoms and receiving the kind of advanced care available at Piedmont can save lives and health of stroke patients.