[removed]The stroke program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center[/removed], Los Angeles, has been certified as a primary stroke center by The Joint Commission, the respected standards-setting and accrediting body for health care.
The distinction, awarded to centers that pass a rigorous onsite review and a thorough examination of program and patient-care data, recognizes a center’s commitment to following national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients. Certification criteria were developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and based on the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers.”
The hospital’s stroke program previously received the American Stroke Association’s gold award for success in using the “Get With The Guidelines—Stroke” program, an award given to centers that have maintained high performance levels for 2 years or more. The program offers the expertise of nationally recognized physicians and surgeons, specialized and emergency care that is available around the clock, and the innovative diagnostic and treatment tools of the large private, nonprofit hospital.
The program draws on the expertise of neurologists, endovascular and vascular neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons, neurointensivists, stroke neurologists, interventional neuroradiologists, psychiatrists, rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, nurses and a stroke nurse specialist.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the number one cause of adult disability, says David Palestrant, MD, director of neuro-critical care and the stroke program at Cedars.
[Source: Newswise]
