Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth has been recognized with one of the country’s most prestigious certifications for the treatment of stroke, a debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition that takes a person’s life every four minutes in the U.S.
Texas Health Fort Worth is the first hospital in Fort Worth to achieve 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 hospital said in a news release.
It is one of the highest certifications that U.S. hospitals can achieve, and for the entire North Texas region, Texas Health Forth Worth is just the third hospital to do so.
During 2018, Texas Health Fort Worth treated more than 1,200 stroke patients – making it the busiest stroke facility in North Texas, the news release said. Texas Health Fort Worth is the 2nd busiest stroke facility in Texas behind Memorial Hermann in Houston.
“We’re exceedingly humbled to care for the highest number of stroke patients in North Texas, because it demonstrates how much the community values and respects the care we provide to patients and their family members,” Joseph DeLeon, president of Texas Health Fort Worth, said in the announcement.
To be eligible for certification, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and 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.
Texas Health Fort Worth underwent a rigorous on-site review in February 2019, when Joint Commission representatives evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements.
“This additional certification demonstrates Texas Health Fort Worth’s continued commitment to excellence,” said Dr. Vinit Mehrotra, neurologist on the medical staff and medical director of Texas Health Fort Worth’s stroke program.
Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S., according to the American Stroke Association. For patients that do survive a stroke, that sometimes translates into extensive rehabilitation.
“Immediate and appropriate medical attention is critical to a patient’s survival and also helps reduce the amount of disability,” said James Ryan, Texas Health Fort Worth’s stroke program coordinator. “That’s why people should call 911 if they’re experiencing symptoms or if they think someone else might be having a stroke.”
Established in 2012, Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.
www.TexasHealth.org
– FWBP Staff