Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) offers a comprehensive approach to stroke care, from early intervention treatments in the ER to inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services to help patients regain function and independence.
Recognized for Excellence in Stroke Care 
Primary Stroke Center
Northeast Georgia Medical Center is an accredited Primary Stroke Center from DNV Healthcare,demonstrating our commitment to excellence in stroke care. NGMC received certification after an audit by DNV of our stroke patient outcomes, our care processes, our facilities and our staff.
Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award
In March 2012, NGMC received the American Stroke 
Association's Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes NGMC's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
To receive the Gold Plus award, NGMC achieved 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get with the Guidelines®-Stroke Quality Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with six of 20 Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality measures, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care.
Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry's "Star Award"
In March 2012, NGMC also received the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry's (GCASR) "Star Award" for its leadership and support within the registry.
CARF Stroke Specialty Certification
NGMC's inpatient rehabilitation unit was one of the first 20 in the nation to receive Stroke Specialty Certification from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Stroke Care at NGMC
Early Intervention
Early intervention for stroke patients is critical because there are treatments that can reduce the risk of damage from the most common type of stroke (ischemic - caused by a blood clot), but only if treatment is delivered within three hours of the onset of symptoms.
NGMC's ER utilizes numerous tools to provide high quality, efficient care to stroke patients from using the National Institute of Health's Stroke Scale to evaluate stroke patients, to working to meet or exceed national benchmarks in "Door to CT" and "Door to Needle" times (the amount of time between when a stroke patient arrives in the ER and when he or she undergoes a CT or receives tPA, lifesaving blood clot-busting medications) to working closely with EMS for pre-notification of a potential stroke victim during transport so that staff is ready and waiting when the patient arrives.
Hospital Based Stroke Medical Director
Stroke patients at NGMC have immediate access to our hospital-based stroke medical director, LaRoy Penix, MD. A board certified neurologist, Dr. Penix works exclusively with stroke patients during their stay at NGMC.
Clinical Stroke Team
NGMC's Clinical Stroke Team follows stroke patients during their inpatient stay to expedite the most effective care. The team includes
- Nurses
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech/language pathologists
- Registered dietitians
- Pharmacists
- Respiratory therapists
- A neuropsychologist
- Case managers
The team makes rounds on all ischemic stroke patients while in inpatient care with the goal of optimizing care by initiation of early rehabilitation and prevention of complications.
Rehabilitation Care
The Rehabilitation Institute at NGMC offers both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care to help stroke patients achieve their maximum levels of independence by providing a full range of services including physical, occupational and speech therapy.
The 25-bed CARF-accredited inpatient unit holds a Stroke Specialty Certification from CARF and offers patients intense therapy up to three hours daily along with specialized nursing care, all coordinated by a team of therapists and clinicians.
ReGain is The Rehab Institute's specialized outpatient program for patients with neurological disorders and other acute medical conditions. Patients participate in therapies from one to three hours per day depending on their needs. Typical programs are three to five days per week and last six to eight weeks.
