Bayhealth Milford Memorial recently 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. Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus was also re-designated as a Primary Stroke Center.
The Gold Seal of Approval and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations. The designation of Primary Stroke Center means both Bayhealth hospitals have met and seek to maintain The Joint Commission’s high standards in providing stroke care and are now certified for delivering the next generation of care to stroke patients.
Stroke Medical Director Sumeet Multani, MD, MBBS, says he’s excited and feels good about what the certification means for cerebrovascular care at Bayhealth. “We’re committed to bringing high-quality technology and healthcare to our community.”
As Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive Brenda Blain, DNP, RN-BC, FACHE, NEA-BC, explains, if a hospital doesn’t have stroke certification, an ambulance cannot bring stroke patients to that facility, which could create a delay in care. “If someone in our community has stroke symptoms, they deserve care quickly. With these certifications, we can assure Kent and Sussex county residents that they’ll receive excellent timely care when needed,” she said.
Both hospitals underwent a rigorous onsite review earlier this year. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care, and performance improvement. Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.
Vice President of Ancillary and Clinical Services Brad Kirkes, MBA, MHA, OTR/L, CHT, FACHE, says the Primary Stroke Center designations are an important step to ensure quality standards are met or exceeded for Bayhealth’s stroke and suspected neurological patients. “We’re demonstrating these standards daily at Kent and Milford,” he said. “There’s exceptional collaboration and communication amongst the care team, which includes EMS, ED physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, hospitalists, nurses, rehabilitation professionals, care management, the stroke coordinator, and others.”
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds and a stroke claims a life every four minutes. Senior Director of Patient Care Services Ann Keane, PhD, MSN, MA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, CCRN, says both Stroke Centers are committed to working with our communities to minimize the controllable risk factors associated with stroke.
Visit Bayhealth.org/Stroke for more information about stroke care, and Heart.org/Certification to learn more about this accreditation program.
