• Sudden onset of weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg (one-sided)
• Sudden onset of a severe headache that has no known cause
• Sudden onset of vision changes
• Sudden onset of difficulty saying or understanding words
• Sudden onset of confusion
• Sudden onset of weakness or changes in walking, balance, or coordination

As a Certified Primary Stroke Center, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital uses the guidelines set forth by The Joint Commission to improve patient care and ultimately, patient outcomes related to stroke. The staff at Saint Francis is committed to providing the most up-to-date and evidence-based patient care. Because immediate care is crucial when diagnosing, treating, and managing a patient with a stroke, Saint Francis has established “Stroke Alert”, which is a quick response activated in the hospital or emergency department (ED) that includes the teamwork of radiology technicians, laboratory technicians, ED or in-patient physicians, the on-call neurologist, and nursing staff.

Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. Learn More

Our Acute Rehabilitation is CARF Accredited and we also offer outpatient neurologic therapy through our outpatient therapy program. Please join us for our Classes & Events. View our Chinese Stroke Education booklet. 

• Healthgrades Stroke Excellence Award - 2014
• Healthgrades  America's 100 Best Specialty Care-Stroke Care - 2014
• Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus award - 2015 
• CARF Accredited Adult Inpatient Stroke Specialty Rehabilitation center
• Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center - 2016

Stroke occurs when a blood vessel bringing blood and oxygen to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures. Deprived of oxygen, brain and nerve cells stop working and begin to die within minutes. The effects of a stroke may be permanent depending on how many cells are lost, where they are in the brain, and how quickly you receive medical treatment. Learn More

Every second counts. Diagnosing and treating stroke within the first 4.5 hours of recognized stroke symptoms can minimize the effects of a stroke. Learn More

By having regular medical checkups and knowing your risk, you can focus on what you can change to lower your stroke risk.

You can do many things to help reduce your risk of stroke, even if you have already had a stroke. A healthy lifestyle plays a big part in decreasing your risk for disability and death from a stroke or heart attack. Learn More

For more information about our stroke services, please call (415) 353-6927.