Nationally Recognized for Advanced Stroke Care

The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the Recommendations for Primary Stroke Centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s guidelines for stroke care. “Meriter Hospital demonstrates that its stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” says Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, Joint Commission.

“The accreditation of Meriter as a Primary Stroke Center is an honor representing the hospital's first disease-specific certification by the Joint Commission.  This reflects our system-wide commitment to the optimal treatment of stroke patients according to nationally accepted evidence-based guidelines,” said Phil Kurle, MD, Medical Director of Meriter’s Stroke Program.

In addition to the Primary Stroke Center designation, Meriter’s stroke program achieved the American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) Stroke Bronze Achievement Award. This award is given to facilities that consistently follow GWTG treatment guidelines including aggressive use of medications like tPA. Meriter’s inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit has also received national recognition by the Commission of the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. This accreditation is given to facilities that meet the highest standards in providing rehabilitation services to patients recovering from the effects of a stroke.

About Stroke

Each year about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 45 second and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

Read John’s story about his stroke experience and the care he received at Meriter’s ER and neuroscience department.

Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

Stroke requires emergency treatment. Every minute counts! Learning the signs and symptoms of stroke could save yours or the life of a loved one.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg- especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one of both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

About The Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more then 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,800 other health care organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. Learn more about the Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

8/24/2009