Stroke care you can count on

Magali Armenta can’t recall any symptoms or feeling ill before suffering a stroke last year, saying only, “the only thing I do remember is waking up in the hospital.”

Armenta, a 29-year-old mother, says she’s fortunate to have been taken to not just any hospital, but to Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center. She credits the hospital’s innovative telestroke system, including the cutting-edge clinical stroke team that diagnosed a very rare pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. She also commends Kaiser Permanente for the treatment she received at the hospital’s stroke center enabling her to walk again and participate in an intense physical rehabilitation program.

It’s no surprise Armenta received timely and cutting-edge treatment as West Los Angeles Medical Center, like all Kaiser Permanente hospitals, is regularly recognized among the nation’s leaders in cardiovascular care. For the second year in a row, the American Heart Association gave 38 Kaiser Permanente hospitals the Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. AHA presents the award to hospitals that are committed to using the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence.

“This recognition underscores our dedication to advancing member care with compassion, innovation, and excellence,” said Ronald Scott, MD, Kaiser Permanente’s national clinical leader for cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. “Our evidence-based integrated care allows us to accurately assess, stabilize, and treat an acute condition to improve patient outcomes. We also lead in risk factor control which improves prevention.”

Armenta acknowledged her journey to full recovery will be a long one, but she thanks the care she received for allowing her to participate in and ride on the 2020 Kaiser Permanente Rose Bowl Parade float less than 5 months after she fell ill.

“It’s been a hard journey,” Armenta said in early 2020. “But I’m not giving up.”

Learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s pioneering cardiovascular care.