Mary Washington Healthcare Awarded Advanced Certification For Primary Stroke Centers

Fredericksburg, VA - (April 26, 2018) - Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) announced it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.

MWHC underwent a rigorous onsite review in February 2018. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care, and performance improvement.

“Mary Washington Healthcare has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “We commend MWHC for becoming a leader in stroke care, providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”

“We congratulate Mary Washington Healthcare for achieving this designation,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines, MWHC has clearly made it a priority to deliver high-quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”

“We are pleased to receive advanced certification from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association,” said Dr. Arun Chhabra, Medical Director for the MWHC Stroke Program. “The certification provides us with the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide as well as to continually strive to advance our care even further.”

Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (JAMA, 2000) and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2011).

Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. View a video about the signs and symptoms of stroke and another about a young stroke victim who volunteers at MWH.

Mary Washington Healthcare is a fully integrated, regional medical system that provides inpatient and outpatient care through more than 40 facilities and services including Mary Washington Hospital, a 451-bed regional medical center, and Stafford Hospital, a 100-bed community hospital. Mary Washington Healthcare is a not-for-profit health system with a longstanding commitment to provide care regardless of ability to pay. For more information about our services and facilities, please visit Mary Washington Healthcare website.

About The Joint Commission:

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission here.