North Fulton Hospital Recertified as Primary Stroke Center

was once again recertified as a Primary Stroke Center after undergoing an on-site evaluation and demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for stroke care.

The hospital has consistently earned recertification from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations since initially receiving The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^™ as a Primary Stroke Center in 2005.

“We’re proud to achieve this distinction, once again, and proud of the many staff and physicians who deliver the highest quality of care to our stoke patients,” said Debbie Keel, CEO of North Fulton Hospital.

By achieving certification as a Primary Stroke Center, North Fulton Hospital has demonstrated that it has the ability to provide effective, timely care to stroke victims and can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients.

Each year about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s fourth leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements and guidelines for stroke care. The Joint Commission launched the program—the nation’s first—in 2003.

A list of programs certified by The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency, is available at www.qualitycheck.org.