Presbyterian Healthcare is proud to announce that all three of its Charlotte-area acute care hospitals have retained Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte was the first hospital in the region to receive this designation. Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville and Presbyterian Hospital Matthews were awarded primary stroke center designations in 2006. The Joint Commission, in conjunction with The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, approved all three facilities to retain the designation for another two years following a recent site review.
Achievement of Primary Stroke Center Certification signifies an organization’s dedication to fostering better outcomes for patients. Presbyterian Healthcare’s Primary Stroke Center Certification has demonstrated that their program meets critical elements of performance to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients.
"In achieving Joint Commission advanced certification, Presbyterian Healthcare has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its stroke patients,” said Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process, and The Joint Commission commends Presbyterian Healthcare for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”
Developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and launched in 2003, The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program is based on the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers." Certification is available only to stroke programs in Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.
“Presbyterian Healthcare is strongly committed to providing exceptional stroke care centered on the highest practice standards,” said Jodi Dodds, M.D., medical director of the Presbyterian Neuroscience Institute. “The Joint Commission guidelines for the care of stroke patients are stringent, and retaining this certification is indicative of the excellent care we continue to offer at our hospitals.”
For more information on The Joint Commission and American Heart Association’s Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Center, visit http://www.jointcommission.org/ or www.heart.org/myhospital.
About The Joint Commission: Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,300 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,500 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission currently certifies more than 2,000 disease-specific care programs, focused on the care of patients with chronic illnesses such as stroke, joint replacement, stroke rehabilitation, heart failure and many others. The Joint Commission also provides health care staffing services certification for more than 750 staffing offices. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
About the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.