Holy Name Press Releases

The Joint Commission awards Holy Name Medical Center Advanced Certification as a Primary Stroke Center

August 28, 2013

Department of Health report further validates Holy Name's expertise in stroke care with mortality rate well below state average

The Joint Commission, in conjunction with The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, recently recognized Holy Name Medical Center with Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. Achievement of Primary Stroke Center Certification signifies an organization's dedication to fostering better outcomes for patients. Holy Name's Primary Stroke Center Certification has demonstrated that the Medical Center's program meets critical elements of performance to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients.

Holy Name Medical Center underwent a rigorous on-site review in April. A Joint Commission expert examined the Medical Center's compliance with the requirements for The Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Certification program, as well as primary stroke center requirements, such as collecting Joint Commission core measure data and using it for performance improvement activities.

"In achieving Joint Commission advanced certification, Holy Name Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its stroke patients," says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., Executive Director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. "Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends Holy Name for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."

Developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and launched in 2003, The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program is based on the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers." Certification is available only to stroke programs in Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.

According to data from the Department of Health's Inpatient Quality Indicators 2012 report released in July, Holy Name Medical Center's mortality rate for stroke is significantly lower than the state rate, and lowest among all the hospitals in Bergen County. Since the calculations are risk-adjusted, they take into account the patient population and acuity, enhancing the value of the data as an accurate measure of mortality.

"Holy Name Medical Center is thoroughly committed to providing our patients with the highest quality stroke care, as based on current scientific research, to ensure continued improvement in treatment," said Sheryl Slonim, DNP, RN-BC, NEA-BC, Executive Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, Holy Name Medical Center. "In addition to our Joint Commission accreditation, the Primary Stroke Center Certification has given us the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide for our patients, and has helped us improve care overall for our community."

Holy Name will be able to display The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association Heart-Check mark for its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. Displaying the seal and Heart-Check mark signifies that a healthcare organization is providing the "next generation of stroke or heart failure care," and will help patients easily identify this facility as one of quality that has surpassed numerous goals in the treatment of stroke.

For more information on The Joint Commission and American Heart Association's Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Center visit www.jointcommission.org or www.heart.org/myhospital.

About Holy Name Medical Center:
Holy Name Medical Center is a fully accredited, not-for-profit healthcare facility based in Teaneck, New Jersey, with off-site locations throughout Bergen County.  Founded and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 1925, the comprehensive 361-bed medical center offers leading-edge medical practice and technology administered in an environment rooted in a tradition of compassion and respect for every patient. Holy Name provides high quality health care across a continuum that encompasses education, prevention, early intervention, comprehensive treatment options, rehabilitation and wellness maintenance—from pre-conception through end-of-life.

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 evaluates and accredits more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,600 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,600 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also certifies more than 2,400 disease-specific care programs such as stroke, heart failure, joint replacement and stroke rehabilitation, and 400 health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit 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 at www.jointcommission.org.

About the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association:
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke — America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers. The AHA/ASA teams with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.