WAUSAU —Aspirus Wausau Hospital 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.
“Aspirus Wausau 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, in an Aspirus news release. “We commend Aspirus Wausau Hospital for becoming a leader in stroke care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”
In May, Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
“By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines, Aspirus Wausau Hospital has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, in the release.
“This certification is another great example of how we are investing in resources to better serve our communities,” said Darrell Lentz, president Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
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.
