The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association recognizes Memorial Hospital West as the first hospital in Florida to receive the Thrombectomy –Capable Stroke Center Certification (TSC).
The certification recognizes hospitals that meet rigorous standards for performing endovascular thrombectomy and providing post procedural care.
“In the era of mechanical thrombectomy, Memorial Hospital West has led the way for performing high volumes of these life-saving procedures”, said Dr. Brijesh Mehta, MD, Medical director Neuro Critical Care and Acute Stroke Intervention Program. “With the ongoing collaboration with our EMS providers, we have developed innovative protocols for prompt identification of stroke signs and symptoms to appropriately triage patients to the most capable hospitals.”
The new TSC certification recognizes all aspects of cutting edge stroke care at Memorial Hospital West, from the strong partnerships with local EMS providers to implementation of efficient work flow in the ER followed by rapid treatment in the catheterization lab.
“We are proud to be the first hospital in Florida to earn this certification for our unwavering commitment to stroke patients,”added Mehta. “The focus on integrated stroke systems of care, which is a major component of this certification, also entails research and data transparency with regards to metrics and clinical outcomes to ensure our community understands the highest quality of care is being delivered to patients of our healthcare system.”
The Joint Commission currently provides three levels of stroke center certification. Memorial Healthcare System acknowledges the importance for the community to have a diverse network of stroke certified hospitals. In addition to the TSC certification at Memorial Hospital West, the healthcare system also has a Primary Stroke Center at Memorial Hospital Pembroke and a Comprehensive Stroke Center at Memorial Regional Hospital.
In the past, multiple agencies have recognized Memorial Healthcare System’s stroke centers at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines for their work and dedication in saving the lives of stroke victims.
In 2017, Memorial Regional Hospital 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 Center.The Gold Seal of Approval and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations. Additionally, Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Hospital West were also awarded the Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus TS Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The awards recognize the commitment by both facilities in providing the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.