Sherman's Stroke Program gets certification

After undergoing an on-site evaluation and demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for stroke care, Sherman Hospital has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for certification as a Primary Stroke Center.

"In stroke care time is brain," says Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. "By achieving certification as a Primary Stroke Center, Sherman Hospital has proven that it has the ability to provide effective, timely care to stroke victims and can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients."

Each year about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation's third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke ever 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

"We're proud to achieve the distinction," says Linda Deering, executive vice president and COO, Sherman Health. "We are pleased to have The Joint Commission recognize our commitment to providing the best possible care to our patients and our community."

The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association's statements/guidelines for stroke care. The Joint Commission launched the program-the nation's first-in 2003. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at www.jointcommission.org.