UAMS certified as a ‘Comprehensive Stroke Center’

The Medical Center of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has become certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, according to the UAMS.

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

“Achieving the standard of care required by The Joint Commission to be certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center means a stroke patient at UAMS has a better chance here than anywhere else in the state of not only surviving but leaving our care with the best possible health outcome,” Dr. Martin Radvany, a professor and chief of Interventional Radiology at the UAMS, said in a statement.

According to the Joint Commission, the certification is the most demanding accreditation and is designed for those hospitals that have the specific abilities to receive and treat the most complex stroke cases. It also means certified hospitals can provide endovascular procedures and post-procedural care and has an Emergency Department with a dedicated stroke-focused program.

UAMS formed a team in July 2017 to work on getting the Medical Center ready for the Comprehensive Stroke Certification. A gap analysis was performed to show what points of care needed to be addressed for certification. Multiple aspects of the stroke program had to be documented. An application for the certification was sent to The Joint Commission in August. In May, two commission surveyors conducted the comprehensive survey over the course of two days. They toured all areas that cared for stroke patients. In addition, the surveyors reviewed files and chart reviews and interviewed staff and patients.

To be a comprehensive stroke center, a hospital or clinic must be able to provide 24/7 care for patients suffering from a stroke and any cerebrovascular disorder, including ruptured brain aneurysms and bleeding into and around the brain.