When it comes to strokes, time is brain. Delaying appropriate treatment can result in long-term and possibly permanent loss of mobility and functionality; therefore, the commitment of having a dedicated stroke team is vital. Multiple agencies have recognized Memorial Healthcare System’s stroke centers at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines for their work and dedication in saving the lives of stroke victims.
Memorial Regional Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Comprehensive Stroke Centers. Additionally, Memorial Regional Hospital has been awarded the Get WithThe Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus and Target Stroke Elite Plus Quality Achievement Awards by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
“By achieving this advanced certification, Memorial Regional Hospital has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition,” says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president and CEO, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends the hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate the standard of its care for the community it serves.”
To be eligible, 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.
“Being Joint Commission certified promotes a culture of excellence across the organization and creates a framework for program structure and management,” said Zeff Ross, FACHE, Executive Vice President at Memorial Healthcare System and CEO of Memorial Regional Hospital. “It also builds confidence in quality and safety of care, treatment, and services by forming a cohesive clinical team for our patients and the community.”
Memorial Hospital West joins Memorial Regional Hospital again this year in achieving the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award with Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite Plus. The award recognizes the commitment by both facilities in providing the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
Hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month periods and achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality measures to receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
To qualify for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. Both of Memorial Healthcare System’s hospitals earned the awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period.
For more information, visit mhs.net.
