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Home News Recertification of Primary Stroke Center Shows Commitment to Improved Outcomes

Recertification of Primary Stroke Center Shows Commitment to Improved Outcomes

Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The Primary Stroke Center at The University of Tennessee Medical Center recently earned recertification through The Joint Commission, the nation’s predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. In 2006, UT Medical Center became the first facility in Knoxville to earn certification as a Primary Stroke Center.

“We are proud of the care we provide to our patients through the Primary Stroke Center,” said Ann Giffin, vice president of the Brain and Spine Institute at UT Medical Center. “This recertification lets us know that our physicians, nurses and staff are fulfilling our promise to this community to continue to improve outcomes and meet the medical needs of individuals throughout this region. The University of Tennessee Medical Center is committed to providing the highest level of care to patients with a potential diagnosis of stroke by treating stroke with the same urgency as trauma or chest pain.”

The Joint Commission awarded the recertification to UT Medical Center because its stroke center, which is a part of the medical center’s Brain and Spine Institute, met all required standards for stroke care and patient safety. Evaluators from The Joint Commission praised UT Medical Center for its commitment to positive patient outcomes.

The stroke team at UT Medical Center collaborates with emergency medical services, regional emergency rooms and the community to ensure prompt identification of symptoms of stroke. The collaboration continues with the implementation of treatment interventions aimed at reducing the long-term impact of stroke.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Giffin noted that in addition to its clinical processes for the treatment of stroke, UT Medical Center places a strong commitment on stroke education, outreach and prevention efforts. According to Giffin, the medical center provided education about stroke symptom identification and stroke risk factor reduction to more than 22,000 people throughout the region in the past three years.

Additionally, Giffin said, UT Medical Center screened more than 1,300 people during community screening events for the identification of individual stroke risk factors. In August, 2008, the medical center hosted the region’s first Stroke Symposium. For more information about the certified Primary Stroke Center at UT Medical Center, visit www.utmedicalcenter.org/stroke.  

Click here to learn more about what stroke center certification means and the process for achieving it.

Click here for more information on the Brain and Spine Institute, Facts About Stroke, Stroke Outcomes or Stroke Assessments.