NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Recertified by the Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center
This certification award represents the hospitals commitment to upholding the highest standards of healthcare quality and safety for their patients, workforce, and community
Jul 14, 2025
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County today announced it has once again achieved Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center certification from The Joint Commission. This prestigious re-certification highlights the hospital’s ongoing excellence in performing mechanical thrombectomy and delivering expert post-procedural care to patients experiencing large vessel occlusive ischemic strokes. Thrombectomy-capable status is awarded to hospitals that meet The Joint Commission’s rigorous requirements, which include round-the-clock availability of neurointerventionists and neurosurgical support, documented thresholds for procedure volume, standardized performance metrics, and structured emergency response protocols. The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care, focused on advancing patient safety and quality improvement across health systems. Its certification ensures consistent, high-quality treatment and superior patient outcomes.
“We are honored to once again receive Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center certification from The Joint Commission,” said Sheldon McLeod, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “This certification reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering timely, expert care for stroke patients while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality. The dedication and skill of our team are essential to providing life-saving treatments and trusted care to the Brooklyn community.”
“We are pleased to announce re-certification for our Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County by The Joint Commission”, said Susan Law, DO, MPH, Director of the Stroke Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “This is a culmination of tireless work by all members of the stroke center, nursing, and emergency departments. Thank you to all members involved in continuously delivering high-quality care for Brooklyn.”
“We are delighted that the NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Stroke Center has received Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center Certification for the third year in a row!” said Helen Valsamis, MD, Chief of Neurology Service at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “This means that we are being recognized for providing consistent excellent quality care to our stroke patients in Flatbush, Brooklyn. We provide state-of-the-art care with acute interventions, outpatient practices, cutting edge NIH-funded research, quality initiatives, and pet therapy. The NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Stroke Center continues to grow and serve the community.”
Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center certification offers hospitals a formal framework for standardizing stroke care, reducing variation and error, improving patient outcomes, and reinforcing community confidence. It also positions the hospital as a trusted emergency care destination by emergency medical services and payers jointcommission.org.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Davis, Chief Communications Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County is a 639‑bed acute care teaching hospital located in Central Brooklyn. Among our highly specialized programs are a Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Emergency Room, Level 3 Perinatal Center, Heart Health Center, Stroke Center, Sickle Cell Program, Behavioral Health Center, and Diabetes Education Center of Excellence. Many of our programs have received national recognition, including our cardiac, stroke, and diabetes services. The hospital offers a broad array of primary and specialty care, including practices in neuroscience, orthopedics, urology and cardiology. Annually, our ambulatory care practices see well over 500,000 visits and more than 150,000 visits in the Behavioral Health outpatient program, in addition to close to 23,000 inpatient discharges. NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has played a major role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Brooklyn since 1831 and is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the nation. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/kingscounty and stay connected on Facebook at facebook.com/KingsCountyHosp or X at @KingsCountyHosp.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
