NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln Recognized for High Quality Stroke Care
The Joint Commission and The American Heart/American Stroke Association Bestow Certification and Honors
Feb 06, 2018
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln today announced that its Primary Stroke Center has earned The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval®. The hospital is the first in the South Bronx to receive the organization’s Advanced Primary Stroke Center certification.
The hospital also received a Gold Plus Award and the Target Plus Honor Elite Award from the American Heart/American Stroke Association’s “Get with the Guidelines” – stroke program. “Get with the Guidelines” helps hospitals to improve stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific guidelines. It was the third consecutive year the hospital had received the Target award and seventh consecutive year it received the Stroke Gold Plus award.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln is pleased to receive certifications from both The Joint Commission and The American Heart/American Stroke Association,” said Milton Nuñez, chief executive officer of Lincoln Medical Center. “The advanced certification confirms our commitment to provide exceptional stroke care to the communities we serve. As the first Advanced Certified Primary Stroke Center in the South Bronx, we continue to enhance and improve our services. We salute our providers and clinicians for adhering to the highest standards for stroke care for our patients.”
Lincoln Stroke Team: Dr. Omonuwa Kennedy, ICU; Ocansey Korkor, RN, ICU; Teresita Victor, RN, Stroke Coordinator; Marisol Cancel, RN, Critical Care Coordinator; and Margaret Pereira, HN, ICU.
The Primary Stroke Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln underwent a rigorous onsite review by The Joint Commission in late 2017. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
“Strokes disproportionately devastate our communities and we know from experience that immediate and appropriate care can reduce or eliminate the disabilities often associated with stroke,” says Riyad Basir, MD, director of the Primary Stroke Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “Our hospital provides comprehensive, high quality and culturally sensitive care to our stroke patients and our community. Educating the community about early recognition of stroke symptoms and early warning signs of stroke is critical to our success.”
Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. About 350 acute stroke patients are admitted at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln annually. The stroke mortality rate is less than 10% at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, while the national mortality rate is 17%.
The Primary Stroke Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln was established in 2005 by the New York State Department of Health, which certifies the center annually. This is the first year The Joint Commission has bestowed its certification, which is awarded on a two-year basis.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission.
“We commend NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln for achieving this designation,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart/American Stroke Association. “By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines, Lincoln has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”