Portneuf Medical Center and Portneuf Air Rescue have partnered with Idaho State University’s Continuing Education and Workforce Training (CEWT) to sponsor their 3rd Emergency Medicine Conference.

“Time Sensitive Emergencies: Assessment, Triage, Treatment, Transport” will focus on providing emergency care within imperative timeframes.

Presenters for this year’s conference were selected based on their expertise in their area of practice and their ability to convey current, evidence-based, practical information on their area of emergency medicine.

Such a presenter is Dr. Jared Bailey, director of Interventional Radiology at Portneuf Medical Center and partner with Medical Imaging Associates. He will be presenting on advancements in stroke care, specifically discussing the role interventional radiology plays in the treatment of large vessel occlusion stroke.

“[Interventional radiology] is really the forefront of medicine and what can be done… I was told what I’d be doing twenty years into practice would probably be very different from what I was doing as I trained-- not completely different, but as an evolution, as things we didn’t think were possible became possible,” said Dr. Bailey on an upcoming episode of CEWT Talk.

The Portneuf Medical Center is focused on the rapid treatment of stroke patients.

“Once admitted to the hospital after having a stroke, our team will work diligently to determine the cause of the stroke and help prevent one from occurring again,” said Heather McGeehan, Stroke Coordinator at Portneuf Medical Center. “Patients will receive therapy from our speech, occupational, and physical therapist and be admitted to our rehab unit where they can receive therapy to help relearn skills that were lost when a stroke affected part of the brain. Stroke rehabilitation can help people regain independence and improve quality of life.”

According to McGeehan, one of the biggest misconceptions around strokes is that they do not require immediate medical attention. In fact, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Clot busting medicine can only be used within a limited time frame of when the patient was last seen without stroke-like symptoms.

The more time that passes between when a stroke starts and when a person receives treatment increases the likelihood that brain function could be permanently lost,” she added.

Another misconception McGeehan has seen is that since a stroke is a traumatic experience that leaves many with loss of basic motor skills, once a person has experienced a stroke, they are incapable of functioning like they used to. However, through the assistance of proper rehabilitation, many who have suffered a stroke can regain their motor skills.

“While it may take time, many people can return to their everyday lives,” she said.

Registration is now open for the Emergency Medicine Conference. It will be held in the ISU Pond Student Union Building on April 30, 12PM-5:30PM, and May 1, 2021, 8AM-3:30PM.

Idaho State University continues to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak, and the safety and well-being of our community is our top priority. As a result, scheduled events may have to be cancelled or moved to an online format. Participants will be notified, as soon as practicable, of any changes or alterations to the schedule.

For more information on the Emergency Medicine Conference, visit cetrain.isu.edu/emc