Contact: Will Sansom, (210) 567-2579

Dr. David Jimenez, professor and chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery, leads a growing contingent of seven faculty neurosurgeons.
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SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 28, 2008) — The UT Health Science Center San Antonio’s Department of Neurosurgery stands tall in the eyes of South Texas for making a new round-the-clock commitment to San Antonio’s first stroke network. This network gives families the peace of mind of knowing that if a loved one suffers any type of stroke, he or she will be treated rapidly and appropriately without being transferred outside San Antonio.

The Health Science Center neurosurgeons are vital members of the new Brain & Stroke Network at the Baptist Health System. David F. Jimenez, M.D., professor and chairman of the Health Science Center Department of Neurosurgery, spoke at an Aug. 4 press conference announcing the initiative with Trip Pilgrim, president and chief executive officer of Baptist Health System; Dicky Huey, M.D., private neurologist and medical director of the Brain & Stroke Network; Ronald Stewart, M.D., associate professor of surgery at the Health Science Center and chairman of the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma; Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff; and Tim Taylor, M.D., president of Emergency Physicians Affiliates in the Baptist System.

Stroke Network offers 24-hour response
“Today begins a new era in the care of stroke patients in our community,” Dr. Jimenez said. “This is 24/7 care 365 days a year — a big commitment for a big problem.”

Dr. Jimenez said the commitment to a community and region fits well with the School of Medicine’s 40th anniversary and the training of physicians.

“The brain is a very delicate organ with fine balance,” he said. “Restoring it brings great peace of mind. It is a great honor for us to restore that balance.”

Dr. Stewart congratulated the Baptist Health System, the Department of Neurosurgery and the private neurologists for working together to coordinate stroke care for South Texas.

Judge Wolff thanked the partners for creating “a better opportunity in life for all our citizens.”

Pilgrim thanked the nurses, psychosocial workers and others who also make up the stroke network. He noted that stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.

Stroke victims need immediate care
The Baptist Health System unveiled a new public awareness campaign, “Stroke happens: when it does, call 911.” The campaign emphasizes the urgency with which stroke must be treated. “Stroke care is a race against time,” one announcement states. “After three hours, time wins.”

Acronym FAST emphasizes what to do if a stroke is suspected
The campaign introduces the acronym FAST (Face, Arms, Speech and Time). The public must act FAST if the face looks uneven with one side drooping, if one arm is weak or numb, if speech sounds strange, and because 911 should be called immediately.

The Brain & Stroke Network is on the Web at www.theStrokeNetwork.com.

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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $576 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $15.3 billion biosciences and health care sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $35 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 23,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and other health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, dentistry and many other fields. For more information, visit www.uthscsa.edu.