Fourth District County Supervisor Janice Hahn speaking to the press about the new ambulance that will assist with stroke-related incidents in Long Beach on Monday, July 12, 2019.
Fourth District County Supervisor Janice Hahn, and officials from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) including Medical Director Dr. May Nour and philanthropist Henry Gluck, held a press event on July 12 to introduce the new Mobile Stroke Unit that will be helping patients in the Long Beach area.
The Mobile Stroke Unit is a specially-equipped ambulance, built with a mobile CT scanner, point-of-care lab tests, telehealth connection with a vascular neurologist and therapies, all designed to deliver proven stroke treatments to patients faster than ever before. It is operated by UCLA and sponsored by the Arline and Henry Gluck Foundation, the press release states.
While the pilot program originally started on the Westside, Hahn secured $1.5 million in county funding for the project so that the pilot program could be expanded to cities in Eastern Los Angeles County, including Long Beach.
“When it comes to a stroke, minutes matter,” Hahn stated in the press release. “If a patient gets treatment quickly, they have a better chance of not just surviving—but also avoiding damage to the brain which can cause paralysis and inability to comprehend or speak language. With UCLA’s Mobile Stroke Unit, stroke victims here in Long Beach are going to be able to receive treatment in the field long before they ever get to a hospital.”
Long Beach is the latest expansion of the UCLA Mobile Stroke Unit pilot program.
The unit is currently operating in: Santa Monica, Hawaiian Gardens, Signal Hill, Lakewood, La Mirada, Cerritos, Artesia, Bellflower, Paramount, parts of Whittier, Beverly Hills, and it assists with stroke-related calls coming from Malibu and Santa Monica.
Patients who are treated by the UCLA Mobile Stroke Unit in Long Beach will be transported to the most appropriate level-of-care stroke facility in geographic proximity, including Long Beach Memorial Hospital which is a Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, the press release read.
This is amazing news! As a former stroke patient treated at UCLA, I’m doubly proud to hear of such a wonderful medical advancement! Thank you Ms. Hahn, for your support!