Services for Patients
Outpatient Clinical Stroke Services - STEP Clinic
Address
6410 Fannin Street, Suite 1014
Houston, TX 77030
Phone
(832) 325-7080
Fax
(713) 512-2239
Our Purpose
Stroke is a preventable disease with devastating consequences. The risk of stroke can be decreased by addressing and controlling risk factors. Risk factors are medical conditions or lifestyle practices that can increase one's chance of having a stroke.
At the STEP Clinic, we know that risk factor control and lifestyle change take time. We help patients identify and control risk factors and take steps towards improving dietary habits and increasing physical activity.
Our staff is trained to recognize the many consequences of stroke including depression, fatigue, and changes in thinking and memory. Identification of these and other consequences is important for stroke recovery.
Patients and families have many concerns after a stroke or TIA occurs. These include questions about medications and their side effects, returning to work, driving, and many others. At the STEP Clinic, we work hard to address these concerns.
Our Patients
The STEP Clinic serves patients who have had or at high risk for having the following conditions:
- Transient Ischemic Attack or TIA
- Ischemic Stroke resulting from the blockage of an artery
- Hemorrhagic Stroke or Bleeding Stroke often resulting from high blood pressure
Our Staff
- Stroke Physicians
- A Stroke-Trained Nurse Practitioner
- Stroke Division Medical Assistants
- A Social Worker specialized in improving transitions of care for stroke patients
- Clinic Schedulers
Risk Factors
Many of our patients have the following risk factors:
- Hypertension or High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Tobacco Use
- High Cholesterol
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Poor Diet
- Lack of Exercise
- Obesity or Overweight
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Clinic Services
- Stroke and TIA education
- Screening for stroke risk factors
- Management of hypertension, high cholesterol, and tobacco use
- Screening and treatment of fatigue, depression, memory/cognitive disorders, and post-stroke pain
- Referrals for management of diabetes, nutrition programs, and intensive tobacco cessation programs
- Referrals for driving assessments and programs to assist with returning to work
Quick Links For This Page:
For general educational materials and resources, visit the Community Outreach & Education page.
Inpatient Clinical Stroke Services - Memorial Hermann Health Systems
Clinical care for stroke patients is provided at 11 hospitals in our stroke system of care in the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System. Clinical services are provided for patients with acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. In total, our system provides care to over 4000 patients per year with cerebrovascular disorders. Our clinical services are tightly linked to our research platforms in acute stroke, brain hemorrhage, stroke prevention, and recovery.
The First Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers Integrated System (CSC-IS)
Stroke Recovery - By the Numbers
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility vs. Skilled Nursing Facility
People suffer a stroke each year.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On average, patients who receive inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke compared to patients who receive skilled nursing care after a stroke have functional scores at least 8 points higher; resulting in vastly greater functional gains for inpatient rehabilitation patients. Functional categories include mobility, cognitive and daily activities.
Patients who receive inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke have: 5x greater improvement in mobility, 3x greater improvement in self-care and 8x greater improvement in cognition when compared to patients that receive skilled nursing care.
Source: Does Post-Acute Care Site Matter?
9.4% is the average hospital readmission rate for patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation vs. 22% the average hospital readmission rate for patients receiving skilled nursing care.
Source: MedPac
Research for the Breakthroughs of Tomorrow
TIRR Memorial Hermann’s history is replete with examples of advances in clinical approaches to rehabilitation fostered by imaginative research initiatives. Investigators at the hospital and research center believe that the future depends on translational research to guide innovation in clinical approaches and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. TIRR Memorial Hermann’s Research Center has these departments:
- Brain Injury Research Center (Model System)
- Spinal Cord Injury and Disability Research Center (Model System)
- Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program
- NeuroRecovery Research Center
Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network
The Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network, affiliated with TIRR Memorial Hermann, is an extensive network of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities in the greater Houston area. Specialized rehabilitation teams are committed to seeing the potential in every person they work with, and to developing that potential to the fullest through creative goal setting and treatment planning.
Types of Therapy
Occupational therapy helps people learn, or relearn, how to accomplish everyday tasks such as eating, grooming, bathing, dressing, and assists in the recovery of upper body muscle strength.
Physical therapy helps people build muscle strength, gain agility and flexibility, learn new ways to move or relearn a former physical skill. The focus of this therapy is on ambulation, safe transfers and proper body mechanics.
Speech therapy helps people who have trouble with cognition, communicating or swallowing, caused by a neurological disorder, stroke, brain injury or other health issue.
Neuropsychology assists with evaluating emotional functioning, adjustment and cognitive abilities, such as memory, attention and problem-solving. Neuropsychologists and psychologists are also involved in providing supportive counseling, education and assistance with behavior management to patients and families.
The Challenge Program is a specialized outpatient program that provides a comprehensive range of services to help brain injury and stroke survivors focus on community re-entry skills critical for the transition to independent living, return to work, school or volunteer services.
Admission to an inpatient or outpatient program requires a physician referral.
- CSC-IS Facilities:
- TMC (MH-TMC)
- Southwest (MH-SW)
- Memorial City (MH-MC)
- The Woodlands (MH-TW)
- Strategically placed in geographic regions to be able to serve the greater Houston area
- Regionalization and movement away from traditional hub and spoke model improves patient access to care in the community setting
- System integration enables standardization of stroke care best practices within CSC-IS facilities as well as across the system
- Collaboration between integrated physician group allows for physician expertise for immediate availability, rapid back-up, and overall improved outcomes
