Centinela Medical Center in Inglewood has announced that it 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. This qualification further shows Centinela Medical Center’s intention of providing quality care to patients and to the community.
In August, the hospital went through a meticulous onsite review. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care, and performance improvement.
Hospital Chief Executive Officer Linda Bradley stated, “In stroke every second counts. Obtaining Primary Stroke Center Certification further demonstrates our commitment to provide the highest level of stroke care. Sending a stroke patient to a Primary Stroke Center can help optimize care and minimize death or disability. We are proud to share this achievement with our community who rely on us for quality care, close to home.”
The Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is based on standards from the “Brain Attack Coalitions” recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers (JAMA, 2000) and the revised recommendations for stroke centers in 2011.
The American Heart Association stated that stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and a primary cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, somebody suffers a stroke every 40 seconds: someone passes from a stroke every four minutes, and 795,000 people have a recurrent stroke each year.
The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are committed to saving lives from heart disease and stroke. They work with millions of volunteers to pay for the extensive research, fight for tougher public health polices, offer lifesaving equipment, and provide information to prevent and fight those diseases. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHU-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of their offices around the country..
