OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital retains elite status in stroke care and awarded Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers
Columbus, OH – OhioHealth is proud to share that The Joint Commission has recertified OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital’s first-class designation as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, a designation first earned in January 2013.
“This designation reaffirms Riverside Methodist’s position as a life-saving resource for our community,” said Brian Jepson, President of OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. “This Joint Commission accreditation is a testament to the leading edge care provided to stroke patients by our physicians, clinical staff and associates.”
Riverside Methodist Hospital has been recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association as meeting The Joint Commission’s standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification, which means it is part of an elite group of providers focused on the most complex stroke care. Comprehensive Stroke Centers are recognized as industry leaders and are responsible for setting the national agenda in highly-specialized stroke care.
“It’s especially exciting news, considering Riverside Methodist will soon be home to the OhioHealth Neuroscience Center, scheduled to open in summer 2015, which will further elevate stroke and neuroscience care in our region. Today at Riverside, we already treat the most stroke patients in the state, and now we’re creating a state-of-the-art facility focused on caring for neuroscience patients to better serve our community in this growing need,” said Jepson.
Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes those hospitals that have state-of-the-art infrastructure, staff and training to receive and treat patients with the most complex strokes. Riverside Methodist underwent a rigorous onsite review in November 2014. Joint Commission experts reviewed Riverside Methodist’s compliance with the Comprehensive Stroke Center standards and requirements including advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients. In addition, only stroke centers that meet a designated volume for highly specialized stroke procedures are eligible to seek this differentiating designation.
"By achieving this advanced certification, Riverside Methodist 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, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends Riverside Methodist for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate the standard of its care for the community it serves.”
Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification was developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for Comprehensive Stroke Centers,” (Stroke, 2005), and “Metrics for Measuring Quality of Care in Comprehensive Stroke Centers,” (Stroke, 2011), and on recommendations from a multidisciplinary advisory panel of experts in complex stroke care.
“The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association congratulates Riverside Methodist on its Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification,” commented Mark J. Alberts, M.D., FAHA, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association spokesperson and incoming Vice-Chair of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Comprehensive Stroke Centers offer a high level of care for patients with the most severe and challenging types of strokes and cerebrovascular disease.”
“Riverside Methodist is thoroughly committed to providing our patients with the highest quality stroke care based on current scientific research to ensure continuous improvement in care,” said Connie Gallaher, System Vice President of Neuroscience for OhioHealth. “This Certification is yet another testament that we truly are the future of neuroscience - and shows the community and our patients our strong commitment to provide exceptional stroke care.”
For more information on The Joint Commission and American Heart Association’s Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Center visit http://www.jointcommission.org/ or www.heart.org/myhospital.
OhioHealth is also proud to have two certified Primary Stroke Centers – OhioHealth Grant Medical Center and OhioHealth Doctors Hospital. For more information on OhioHealth’s Stroke Program, visit ohiohealth.com/stroke.
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 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,600 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,600 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also certifies more than 2,400 disease-specific care programs such as stroke, heart failure, joint replacement and stroke rehabilitation, and 400 health care staffing services. 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/American Stroke 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 www.heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.
The familiar Heart-Check mark now helps consumers evaluate their choices in hospital care. Each mark given to a hospital is earned by meeting specific standards for the care of patients with heart disease and/or stroke. The Heart-Check mark can only be displayed by hospitals that have achieved and defined requirements set by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. For more information on the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Hospital Accreditation Program visit www.heart.org/myhospitals.
