NBC News' chief medical editor told the "Today" show that, in her opinion, reporter Serene Branson suffered either a"mild stroke" or another neurological episode during her live report about the Grammys, and should never have been allowed to go home as she did.
Branson's slurred, incoherent speech during a report on the Grammys on Sunday immediately sparked rumors that she had had a stroke and been hospitalized. CBS-2 Los Angeles, the station she works for, would not say whether that had been determined or not--only that Branson had suffered "health related problems." The station reported that Branson was examined by paramedics and sent home with a friend.
But Nancy Snyderman, NBC's chief medical editor, told Matt Lauer on Tuesday's "Today" show that Branson had clearly had a neurological episode.
Before Snyderman gave her opinion, NBC reporter Kristen Welker talked to the chief neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. He said that, judging from the tape, Branson had had either a "temporary stroke" or a minor seizure.
Snyderman backed up this opinion and said she was shocked that Branson wasn't immediately taken to the hospital.
Taking her home was "not the right thing to do," she said. "You immediately go to the emergency room."
She said she would have kept Branson overnight and "neurologically check[ed] her every hour on the hour."
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