Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers and Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital has been recertified as a Primary Stroke Center.
With this certification, Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center remains among an elite group of health care organizations focused on highly-specialized stroke care. St. Vincent was first named a Comprehensive Stroke Center in 2016.
“These certifications from The Joint Commission and the American Stroke Association are a testament to the level of care provided every day in our Mercy Health facilities to those who have experienced a stroke,” said Bob Baxter, president, Mercy Health -Toledo. “This is just another step in the longstanding culture of excellence at both St. Vincent as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and St. Charles as a Primary Care Stroke Center. I want to recognize the physicians and staff members who work tireless every day to provide the highest level of care to those we serve.”
Joint Commission accreditation for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is the highest level of attestation to the top-quality care and clinical outcomes in the hospitals that provide this emergent 24/7 treatment.
“Significant advancement in stroke therapies include emergent clot removal from the blocked brain arteries, leading to life changing outcomes that can reverse disability. This offers hope for stroke patients to avoid disabilities and return back to their life and loved ones,” said Dr. Sam Zaidat, neuroendovascular surgeon, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, and Stroke Medical Director for Mercy Health — St. Vincent Medical Center. “It takes commitment and resources from everyone involved from the field, 911 dispatcher, EMS providers, emergency department team, angiography teams, nurses, neuro critical care team, and post stroke rehabilitation.”
To be eligible for this certification, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and meet additional requirements, including those related to advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and providing staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.
Mercy Health - St. Vincent Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review in in April when Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements.
Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital also recently underwent an onsite review and was recertified as a Primary Stroke Center. During this visit, Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital was first awarded Primary Stroke Certification in 2015.
By achieving these certifications, Mercy Health has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition.
“Comprehensive Stroke Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Deborah Ryan, MS, RN, interim executive vice president, Accreditation and Certification Operations, The Joint Commission. “We commend Mercy Health for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for stroke patients.”
“We congratulate Mercy Health for this outstanding achievement,” added Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”
Established in 2012, Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.
Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
The most common stroke symptoms can be remembered using the BE FAST acronym:
Balance issues
Eyes, including loss of vision, double vision, or blurred vision
Facial Droop
Arm Weakness
Speech Difficulty, such as slurring words or becoming very confused
Time to Call 911!
With this certification, Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center remains among an elite group of health care organizations focused on highly-specialized stroke care. St. Vincent was first named a Comprehensive Stroke Center in 2016.
“These certifications from The Joint Commission and the American Stroke Association are a testament to the level of care provided every day in our Mercy Health facilities to those who have experienced a stroke,” said Bob Baxter, president, Mercy Health -Toledo. “This is just another step in the longstanding culture of excellence at both St. Vincent as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and St. Charles as a Primary Care Stroke Center. I want to recognize the physicians and staff members who work tireless every day to provide the highest level of care to those we serve.”
Joint Commission accreditation for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is the highest level of attestation to the top-quality care and clinical outcomes in the hospitals that provide this emergent 24/7 treatment.
“Significant advancement in stroke therapies include emergent clot removal from the blocked brain arteries, leading to life changing outcomes that can reverse disability. This offers hope for stroke patients to avoid disabilities and return back to their life and loved ones,” said Dr. Sam Zaidat, neuroendovascular surgeon, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, and Stroke Medical Director for Mercy Health — St. Vincent Medical Center. “It takes commitment and resources from everyone involved from the field, 911 dispatcher, EMS providers, emergency department team, angiography teams, nurses, neuro critical care team, and post stroke rehabilitation.”
To be eligible for this certification, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and meet additional requirements, including those related to advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and providing staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.
Mercy Health - St. Vincent Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review in in April when Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements.
Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital also recently underwent an onsite review and was recertified as a Primary Stroke Center. During this visit, Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital was first awarded Primary Stroke Certification in 2015.
By achieving these certifications, Mercy Health has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition.
“Comprehensive Stroke Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Deborah Ryan, MS, RN, interim executive vice president, Accreditation and Certification Operations, The Joint Commission. “We commend Mercy Health for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for stroke patients.”
“We congratulate Mercy Health for this outstanding achievement,” added Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”
Established in 2012, Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.
Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
The most common stroke symptoms can be remembered using the BE FAST acronym:
Balance issues
Eyes, including loss of vision, double vision, or blurred vision
Facial Droop
Arm Weakness
Speech Difficulty, such as slurring words or becoming very confused
Time to Call 911!