Six out of ten Americans do not know which hospitals offer specialized treatment for stroke — despite the number of stroke-certified hospitals nearly doubling since 2006, according to an American Stroke Association survey.

"Even though we have conducted major pushes through our Get With The Guidelines® program and by working with The Joint Commission to increase the number of certified hospitals in this country, the public seems less aware of stroke-certified hospitals," said Ralph Sacco, M.D., president-elect of the American Heart Association and chairman of neurology/Miller Professor of Neurology, Epidemiology and Human Genetics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Now, the American Stroke Association has created an online tool to locate certified stroke centers in your area. See stroke center locator at: http://maps.heart.org/quality/



This website should not be used to determine where patients in critical situations should be transported. In such cases, patients should call 9-1-1 immediately to be taken to the nearest available emergency medical center.