Stroke Care and Rehabilitation

Stroke is one of the nation’s leading causes of death and a major cause of serious, long-term disability. Desert Care Network’s three-hospital system can provide care close to your home when every minute counts.

Desert Care Network is home to our area’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center, headquartered at Desert Regional Medical Center. JFK Memorial Hospital is a certified Primary Stroke Center and Hi-Desert Medical Center is a certified Acute Stroke-Ready Hospital, connected via tele-medicine to doctors who can provide quick diagnosis and start medication to treat the blood clots that cause most strokes. When more advanced care is needed, our doctors can rapidly transfer patients directly to Desert Regional, a Level 1 Trauma Center, which provides 24-hour access to some of the latest interventional technologies in stroke care. In addition to targeting blood clots, our neuro-critical care specialists can use minimally invasive techniques to treat bleeding in the brain – the second major cause of stroke.

When it comes to stroke, doctors tell us that “time is brain.” The hospitals of Desert Care Network are dedicated to deliver timely diagnosis and treatment to help stroke patients and those at risk live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

B

BALANCE

befast-ico-01 Does the person have a sudden loss of balance or coordination?

E

EYES

Is your loved one experiencing double vision or are they unable to see out of one eye?

F

FACE

Is one side of the face drooping? Ask the person to smile.

A

ARM

Does one arm drift downward? Have the person raise both arms in the air.

S

SPEECH

Is he or she slurring their speech or having difficulty getting the words out right? Have the person repeat a simple phrase.

T

TIME

Time to act! Call 9-1-1 and get the person to a certified stroke center immediately.

If you are in the hospital and see a person showing any of the BE FAST symptoms, find the nearest employee for help activating our EMERGENCY CODE system and Rapid Response Team.

If you are in public and see a person showing any of the BE FAST symptoms, call 9-1-1 for help.

Remember that time is important, do not wait to see if symptoms go away - get help fast!

Our network includes:

A dedicated neurological critical-care unit
An advanced angio suite for conducting minimally invasive vascular and endovascular procedures
An in-patient acute rehabilitation unit, and
Long-term care, including outpatient rehabilitation

Neurological Critical Care

The critical-care unit is staffed by a intensivist– a physician who takes a team approach in working closely with neurologists, surgeons, radiologists, ER staff, pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists and other care providers in neurologic emergencies. Intensivistare specially trained to treat critical neurological conditions – such as acute ischemic stroke, aneurysm and hemorrhage.

Interventional Neurology

Neurointervention allows doctors to use highly specialized techniques, where possible, to avoid conventional open surgery of the brain and spine. It has become essential for comprehensive stroke care.

Award-Winning Stroke Care

At Desert Care Network, we are committed to high-quality stroke care. Desert Regional Medical Center and JFK Memorial Hospital each received the 2025 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Get With the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. Desert Regional also received recognition for Advanced Therapy treatment. Hi-Desert Medical Center received the 2025 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Get With the Guidelines® Rural Stroke Gold Quality Achievement Award. These awards are earned by hospitals for applying the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment guidelines to improve patient care and outcomes in the communities they serve.

Desert Regional Medical Center is also the Coachella Valley’s only DNV-GL Accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center, which represents the most advanced stroke treatment available in our area.

Desert Regional Medical Center

JFK Memorial Hospital

Hi-Desert Medical Center

DESERT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
COMPREHENSIVE STROKE CENTER
Accredited by DNV-GL Healthcare USA, Inc

JFK MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HOSPITAL
PRIMARY STROKE CENTER
Accredited by the Joint Commission

Hi-DESERT MEDICAL CENTER
ACUTE STROKE READY HOSPITAL
Accredited by the Joint Commission

Contact Us

Our program coordinators are available for information and community outreach. If you have questions about stroke care at our hospitals, you can reach our coordinators at the following numbers:

Kendalyn Zerebny, BSN, RN
Stroke Coordinator
Desert Regional Medical Center
(760) 323-6749

Terilee Povall, RN
Stroke Coordinator
JFK Memorial Hospital
(760) 775-8034

Jorge Miranda, RN, MICN
Trauma Program Manager, Stroke Coordinator
Hi-Desert Medical Center
(760) 366-6712

Stroke Treatment