Voters’ Choice Hero:
ProMedica Stroke Network

Toledo, Ohio
“We are extremely honored and grateful to accept this award from the American Stroke Association. The ProMedica Toledo Hospital Stroke Team is dedicated to providing high quality, evidence-based, compassionate care to our patients and to improving stroke care for future generations through research and legislative initiatives. This award is a great testament to our work and I cannot wait to see how this team continues to positively impact stroke care for years to come!” – Julie Shawver, PA-C

Some Stroke Heroes provide care and support to patients. Others raise awareness of stroke symptoms and treatment. And others advocate for policies that improve stroke care.

The ProMedica Stroke Network does all these things — and more — making an impact across Ohio and around the globe.

Locally, the team’s BE FAST 5K Run/Walk raises awareness and money for the Stroke Patients’ Assistance Fund. Thanks to the support of ProMedica Toledo Hospital, 100% of event proceeds go toward the cost of medications, health equipment, health supplies, medical transportation, rent and utilities for stroke patients with limited financial means.

The team also led the implementation of a countywide program to train emergency medical service personnel on the Rapid Arterial Occlusion Evaluation (RACE) Score, an assessment tool that speeds up identifying and transferring patients with moderate to severe stroke symptoms. Implemented in 2015, the protocol reduced median emergency line activation to mechanical thrombectomy time by more than 90 minutes, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery.

Dr. Mouhammad Jumaa then participated with several colleagues from Ohio in the Get Ahead of Stroke campaign and successfully advocated for a state law that requires EMS organizations across Ohio to establish similar protocols and requires the state’s board of emergency medical, fire and transportation services to adopt guidelines for the assessment, triage and transport of stroke patients. The law took effect in 2021.

Recently, another ProMedica Toledo neurologist, Dr. Syed Zaidi, testified in favor of legislation that will require all Ohio Department of Health-recognized comprehensive, thrombectomy-capable and primary stroke centers to provide sample data regarding patients from the time they have a stroke until they’re discharged from the hospital.

Dr. Zaidi also recently proctored interventionalists at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Karachi, Pakistan, on performing neuroendovascular procedures. The institute performed its first thrombectomy in November 2021, a step toward improving stroke care in the city of 20 million.