Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital is pleased to announce that it has been recertified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. This recognition means that the communities of the Twin Tiers have access to nationally certified stroke care.
This distinction comes as the hospital earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this advanced certification. When a person is having a stroke, minutes matter when it comes to outcomes. A stroke can be fatal or have devastating, life-altering effects, and the sooner that treatment is started, the better the likelihood of a positive outcome," said Dr. Marc Harris, Chairman of Guthrie Robert Packer’s Hospital’s Emergency Department, "Achieving this distinction is truly a team effort. Hospitals named as Primary Stroke Centers must have a highly skilled, coordinated stroke team which involves clinicians in emergency services, radiology, surgery, and the hospitalist program. For a patient experiencing a stroke, the quicker and more targeted the response, the greater the chance of a full recovery."
Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review during which Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
“Guthrie has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “We commend Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital for becoming a leader in stroke care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”
Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (JAMA, 2000) and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2011).
Stroke is the number four 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.
