Dr. Ameer Hassan, Endovascular Neurologist, to Help Lead National Organization

HARLINGEN – Dr. Ameer Hassan, who introduced specialized endovascular neurology procedures to deep South Texas in 2012 at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, was recently named vice-chair of a national organization, the American Academy of Neurology’s section on Endovascular and Interventional Neurology.

Dr. Hassan has participated in several clinical trials that have shown the new type of endovascular stroke treatment helps save the lives of patients and results in more of them becoming “functionally independent”, in many cases.

Dr. Hassan said the results from the research will need to be translated into new national guidelines for treating “brain attack” victims.
“Our first goal will be changing the guidelines to incorporate the new data, and to help Emergency Medical Services to be able to select the appropriate patient to transport to a comprehensive stroke center such as Valley Baptist which offers endovascular stroke treatment,” Dr. Hassan said.

As part of this effort, Dr. Hassan said the national organization would like to “help create new ‘neuro assessment tools’ for EMS, to help in screening for major strokes that can benefit from endovascular treatment.”

Education is also a key component of the organization’s work, including participation in national conferences on stroke, in order to “actively shape the next generation of medical students, medical residents, fellows and neuro scientists,” Dr. Hassan added.

“At the end of the day, we want to also help with education of the public, to expand stroke education and outreach – such as the ‘Stroke Check’ screening day that Valley Baptist will hold again on Saturday morning, May 30 with free screenings for the public – in order to be able to take those outreaches here on the local level to the national level,” Dr. Hassan said.

For more information about prevention and treatment for stroke, consult your physician and visit www.ValleyBaptist.net.