Philadelphia (PRWEB) June 24, 2015
Aria Health, the largest healthcare provider in Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Bucks County, continues the growth of its Stroke Program with the promotion of Dr. David H. Sirken, DO, FACP to Stroke Program Director of the Aria Institute for Neurosciences, and the receipt of the Get With the Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
According to the CDC, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, with an average of one American dying from stroke every four minutes. Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke is an in-hospital program, developed by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, aimed at improving stroke care by promoting consistent commitment to the latest scientific treatment guidelines. To receive the Gold Quality Achievement Award, Aria Health was required to complete 24 consecutive months of adherence to all seven Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Achievement measures with at least 85 percent of all eligible patients. These measures aim to reduce death and disability and improve the lives of stroke patients.
“Time is critical when diagnosing and treating a stroke victim, which is why our new Torresdale Emergency Department was designed to include a new, centralized CT scanner, allowing patients to be tested and treated within an hour of their arrival,” said Dr. Sirken. “I’m thrilled to carry on with the tremendous strides made by my predecessors to make Aria’s Stroke Program the leading program in the region. We have a diverse patient population and are committed to providing comprehensive education and offering the latest treatments to increase survival rates and reduce long-term disability that can result from stroke.”
Aria Health’s commitment to its Stroke Program is evidenced by the advancements in the new Emergency Department at the Torresdale campus, as well as the launch of educational programs rooted in the “teachable moment” approach. As many patients are most likely to listen and take guidance from healthcare professionals immediately after a stroke occurs, Aria provides customized patient education materials when discharged from care based on a patient’s individual risk factors. In addition, the program offers a Patient Management Tool to provide up-to-date access to cardiovascular and stroke science at the point of care.
Dr. Sirken brings more than 22 years of neurological experience to Aria’s Stroke Program. With Aria Health since 1993, he is board-certified in Neurology with a sub-specialty certification in Vascular Neurology. Dr. Sirken previously served as the Chief of the Division of Neurology and has experienced firsthand the growth of the Stroke Program and advancements made to the Emergency Department at the Torresdale campus. In this role, he will oversee the continued growth of the program and its offerings.
Dr. Sirken also serves as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a member of the Philadelphia Neurological Society, American Academy of Neurology, and the National Headache Foundation. A Philadelphia native, Dr. Sirken graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology, and later received his medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his neurology residency at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sirken has earned additional qualifications through certificates in Vascular Neurology and Headache Management, and received further training in internal medicine at the Mercy Catholic Medical Center in Darby, PA and through a fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He currently is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
For more information about the Aria Health Institute for Neurosciences, please call 1-877-808-ARIA (2742) or visit AriaHealth.org.
About Aria Health
Aria Health is the largest healthcare provider in Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Bucks County. With three leading-edge community hospitals and a strong network of outpatient centers and primary care physicians, Aria upholds a longstanding tradition of bringing advanced medicine and personal care to the many communities it serves. For more information about Aria Health please visit http://www.ariahealth.org “Like” Aria Health on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ariahealth and “Follow” Aria Health on Twitter at @AriaHealth.
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