MedStar Georgetown University Hospital 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 Comprehensive Stroke Centers.
MedStar Georgetown is now one of only 156 healthcare organizations in the United States to have earned this certification in highly-specialized stroke care. To be eligible for certification, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and meet additional requirements, including those related to advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and providing staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.
“We have a superb multi-disciplinary team of providers, nurses, scientists and educators who are dedicated to providing the highest level of care for patients with cerebrovascular disease,” said Dr. Andrew Stemer, director of Stroke Neurology at MedStar Georgetown. “The Joint Commission recognizing MedStar Georgetown as a Comprehensive Stroke Center confirms that we are one of the elite programs in the nation.”
Achieving certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center was the culmination of years of hard work by a multidisciplinary team, including stroke care experts from: Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuro Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Neuroradiology, Neuro Interventional Radiology, Case Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Regulatory Readiness, and Physiatry. MedStar Georgetown’s stroke team is anchored by Dr. Stemer and the Hospital’s specially-trained stroke neurologists, as well as a dedicated nurse practitioner, nurse navigator, and program coordinator. The Hospital’s stroke team collaborated to evaluate and enhance the care received by stroke patients, which included implementing new policies and providing additional training for associates, as well as expanding the collection and review of key data elements critical to the care of stroke patients.
“This certification shows our commitment to a higher standard of service and quality of care for our patients,” said MedStar Georgetown’s Stroke Program Coordinator Amanda Lantzy, MSN, RN. “Our expanded services ensure that we can treat and provide excellent quality of care to the most complex stroke patients around the clock. We have dedicated, specially-trained clinicians available at any time of day or night, including board-certified vascular neurologists. Having their expertise readily available ensures our patients are receiving the care they need which provides better long term outcomes for stroke survivors.”
"By achieving this advanced certification, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition,” said Dr. Mark R. Chassin, president and CEO of The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends MedStar Georgetown for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate the standard of its care for the community it serves.”
Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association remarked, “The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association congratulates MedStar Georgetown University Hospital on achieving Comprehensive Stroke Center certification. Meeting the standards for Comprehensive Stroke Center certification represents a commitment to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”
This certification provides validation for the public that MedStar Georgetown maintains a consistently high level of quality, using effective, data-driven performance improvement practices. Above all, patients who receive stroke care at MedStar Georgetown know that they are being cared for by nationally-recognized experts who are part of a well-coordinated and highly-specialized team.
