North Oaks Medical Center Receives Primary Stroke Center Certification

North Oaks Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.

“Achievement of Primary Stroke Center Certification signifies our dedication to fostering better outcomes for patients,” emphasizes Tammy Murphy, Vice President of Performance Management. “This certification demonstrates that our program meets critical elements of performance to achieve long-term success in providing prompt stroke care and improving outcomes for patients.”

North Oaks Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review in November 2014. A Joint Commission expert evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.

Developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and launched in 2003, the Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program is based on the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers" and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers.”

Stroke is the number four cause of death in Louisiana, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average in the U.S., someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every 4 minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

For more information about North Oaks Medical Center’s Certified Primary Stroke Center, call North Oaks Corporate Communications at (985) 230-6647. For more information on The Joint Commission and American Heart Association’s Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Center, visit www.jointcommission.org or www.heart.org/myhospital.