Centennial Medical Center Awarded Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers

May 6, 2013 - PRLog -- The Joint Commission, in conjunction with The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, recently recognized Centennial Medical Center (http://www.centennialmedcenter.com/) with Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. Achievement of Primary Stroke Center Certification signifies an organization’s dedication to fostering better outcomes for patients. Centennial’s Primary Stroke Center Certification has demonstrated that its program meets critical elements of performance to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients.

A Joint Commission expert reviewed Centennial’s compliance with the requirements for The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification program as well as primary stroke center requirements, such as collecting Joint Commission core measure data and using it for performance improvement activities. Centennial’s team of physicians and staff were adequately prepared for the thorough review, evident from the fact that The Joint Commission provided no findings, and no recommendations for improvement to the hospital.

"In achieving Joint Commission advanced certification, Centennial has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its stroke patients,” says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q. executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends Centennial for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

Developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and launched in 2003, The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program is based on the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers." Certification is available only to stroke programs in Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.

“We are thoroughly committed to providing our patients the highest quality stroke care centered on current scientific research to ensure continued improvement in treatment,” said Joe Thomason, Centennial Medical Center’s chief executive officer. “In addition to our The Joint Commission accreditation, the Primary Stroke Center Certification has given us the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide for our patients, and help us improve care overall for our community.”

Displaying the seal and Heart-Check mark signifies that the hospital is providing the “next generation of stroke or heart failure care,” and will help patients easily identify Centennial as a quality facility that has surpassed numerous goals in the treatment of stroke.

For more information on The Joint Commission and American Heart Association’s Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Center visit http://www.jointcommission.org/ or www.heart.org/myhospital.

About Centennial Medical CenterWe care completely at Centennial Medical Center (http://www.centennialmedcenter.com/), where your family’s total well being is our reason for being.  Located off Highway 121 and Coit Road, Centennial offers an array of services (http://www.centennialmedcenter.com/en-us/ourServices/medicalServices/Pages/default.aspx) ranging from maternity, radiology and pediatrics to sophisticated services such as neurosurgery, open heart surgery, and the latest procedures in joint replacement. We also have a 12-bed critical care unit to care for the most critical patients.  
Our emergency department (http://www.centennialmedcenter.com/en-us/ourservices/medicalservices/pages/emergency%20department.aspx) is fully accredited by The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care because of our commitment to high standards and quality of care that helps ensure our patients are neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted during a coronary event. We are staffed with board-certified ER physicians, and our wait times are half the national average!

Centennial has all-inclusive maternity services that include a variety of classes, tours and support to help you prepare for what to expect when you’re expecting. We have private LDR suites, mom/baby rooming, care packages, as well as a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to ensure the best possible care in any circumstance.

Absolute care from absolute caregivers. It’s why Centennial takes tremendous pride in delivering the utmost compassion and care to all who enter our doors. Visit Centennial at www.centennialmedcenter.com or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CentennialMedCenter) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/CenMedFrisco).  

About The Joint Commission:

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,600 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,600 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also certifies more than 2,400 disease-specific care programs such as stroke, heart failure, joint replacement and stroke rehabilitation, and 400 health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

About the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association:

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.