Regional has been working to decrease times to treatment, and has established operational improvements for stroke patients.
Terre Haute, IND (September 12, 2018) - Terre Haute Regional Hospital announced that it has 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.
Over the past year, Regional has been working to decrease times to treatment, and has established operational improvements for stroke patients. These include designating a specific area in the hospital’s emergency department for incoming stroke patients, performing drills with local EMS agencies, and moving tPA preparation from the hospital pharmacy to the emergency department to reduce times. tPA is a medication that dissolves blood clots, commonly referred to as the “clot buster.”
Regional underwent a rigorous onsite review in July 2018 where Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
“Terre Haute Regional Hospital 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 Terre Haute Regional Hospital for becoming a leader in stroke care.”
“This distinction is the culmination of months of hard work and collaboration among hospital staff, physicians, and our EMS partners in the community. Our singular goal has been to streamline and hardwire clinical best-practices that lead to better outcomes for our patients,” said Nathan Vooys, Chief Executive Officer, Terre Haute Regional Hospital. “It is a privilege to be recognized for the exceptional stroke care that our caregivers provide.”
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.