Stroke is a medical emergency. If stroke is suspected dial ‘000’ for ambulance attendance. This will result in urgent delivery to Warrnambool’s Emergency Department.
Stroke patients who have received urgent and acute care at another regional health service in Warrnambool’s stroke care hinterland (and need further care in the Stroke Unit or Rehabilitation setting) or are to be repatriated to Warrnambool or the south west after care at a tertiary/metropolitan stroke centre should be referred to South West Healthcare’s Access Manager.
Warrnambool Campus provides recommended imaging protocols for stroke inclusive of CT/CTA/CTP and MRI. Warrnambool ED and Medical Teams are able to provide thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke. Warrnambool is a site for the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) Program which provides round the clock access to consultations by stroke neurologists who support and promote early hyper-acute stroke care. The VST also provides access to neuro-interventionists and neuro-surgeons, and treatments such as endovascular clot retrieval and a variety of surgical interventions for stroke.
Stroke is a medical emergency. Urgent attendance by Ambulance Victoria will result in rapid access to early treatments for stroke.