The Joint Commission partnered with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to launch of a new Disease-Specific Care Advanced Certification Program for Acute Stroke Ready Hospitals.
Here are five things to know:
1. The Joint Commission began accepting applications for the Acute Stroke Ready hospital certification on July 1.
2. The best candidates for this certification are not otherwise candidates for the Primary Stroke Center or Comprehensive Stroke Center certification.
3. The Acute Stroke Ready Hospital certification recognizes hospitals equipped to treat patients with evidence-based care before transferring them to a primary or comprehensive stroke center.
4. The certification is designed to address the access gap to acute stroke services while improving the assessment, delivery and care for patients.
5. The certification program includes:
• A dedicated stroke-focused program
• Qualified medical professionals trained in stroke care staffing
• Collaboration between Emergency Management Systems encouraging field assessment tools training and communication with the hospital before bringing a stroke patient in
• Ability to perform rapid diagnostic and laboratory testing at all times
• Administering intravenous clot-busting medications to eligible patients
• Telemedicine technology
• Transfer agreements/protocols with a primary or comprehensive stroke services facility