HONOLULU — The Queen’s Medical Center (Queen’s) today 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 Comprehensive Stroke Centers. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.
With this certification, Queen’s joins an elite group of health care organizations focused on highly-specialized stroke care. To be eligible, hospitals must have first demonstrated compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and, as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, must 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.
Queen’s underwent a rigorous on-site review in October 2016, when Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements.
“By achieving this advanced certification, The Queen’s Medical Center has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition,” says Mark R. Chassin, MD, President and CEO, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends The Queen’s Medical Center for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate the standard of its care for the community it serves.”
“The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association congratulates The Queen’s Medical Center on achieving Comprehensive Stroke Center certification,” said Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “Meeting the standards for Comprehensive Stroke Center certification represents a commitment to deliver high-quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”
“The certification provides us with the framework to create a culture of excellence,” said Darlena Chadwick, RN, Vice President of Patient Care for the Neurosciences, The Queen’s Health System. “For over a decade, Queen’s was the only primary stroke center in Hawaii, and now, we are proud to be one of only 100 certified Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Centers in the nation.”
Established in 2012, Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.
Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. It remains the third leading cause of death in Hawaii. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of a stroke every four minutes and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
