Thursday, May 20, 2010
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Presbyterian Healthcare is proud to announce that all three of its Charlotte-area, acute care hospitals maintained their designation as primary stroke centers. In 2004, 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. After a recent site review, the Joint Commission approved all three facilities to retain the designation for another two years.
“Presbyterian Hospital’s Stroke Center features a neurological intensive care unit, specialized nurses dedicated to caring for patients who have suffered a stroke and the most advanced treatment protocols available including state-of-the-art neurointerventional technology and clinical trials that significantly expand the window of treatment time,” said Aristides Chaconas, M.D., neurologist and medical director of Presbyterian Neuroscience Institute Stroke Center. “Patients who arrive at Presbyterian’s emergency department with stroke symptoms are seen within minutes by highly trained specialists who immediately begin to make important treatment decisions — 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
The primary stroke center designation is based on compliance with consensus-based national standards, effective use of established clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care, as well as performance measurement and improvement activities. The certification recognizes centers that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care, thereby delivering the best care possible to their patients.
“The Joint Commission guidelines for the care of the stroke patients are extremely stringent. Retaining our primary stroke center certification is indicative of the excellent care we continue to provide for our patients,” says Sue Ashcraft, RN, MSN, ACNS-BC/FNP, regional stroke coordinator for Presbyterian Neuroscience Institute Stroke Center.
For more information about the Presbyterian Neuroscience Institute Stroke Center, visit www.presbyterian.org/stroke or call 704-384-CARE.
