Article Date: 9/14/2012

Article Date: 4/27/2009

Text Area 1: Fountain Valley, CA – April 27, 2009 – Fountain Valley Regional Hospital has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers. The hospital earned this distinction after the Joint Commission conducted an unannounced on-site review in January 2009.

“Fountain Valley Regional Hospital demonstrated that its stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” says Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, Joint Commission.

Each year about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death.

“Every 40 seconds in the United States, someone has a stroke, and about every three to four minutes someone dies as a result of a stroke. Using the stroke center approach helps us diagnose and treat strokes more quickly,” said Dr. Ignacio Carrillo-Nunez, Medical Director of the hospital’s Stroke Program.

A certified stroke care center is similar to that of a trauma center, combining the resources of a number of specialties to quickly evaluate and treat patients with complex medical needs. Like a trauma center, the stroke center team works closely with local emergency medical services so that proper care can begin before the patient arrives at the hospital.

The stroke team includes physicians such as neurologists or neurosurgeons who specialize in the care of strokes. Nurses from the hospital’s emergency department or intensive care unit also are part of the stroke team. The team is available around the clock to respond when a patient with stroke symptoms comes to the hospital.

The goal of a stroke team is to promptly assess the patient’s condition and order the tests needed to diagnose the type of stroke involved. The team also works to stabilize the patient’s blood pressure, heart rate and other vital functions. If the tests show that the patient’s stroke is the result of a blood clot blocking a vein in the brain, then tPA, a clot-busting drug, can be given to

help break up the clot. The team’s goal is to begin tPA within three hours of the first symptoms of a stroke, to increase the likelihood of a patient’s recovery with little or no disability after three months.

“We use evidence-based medicine to establish written protocols for stroke care that are designed to improve patient care and treatment times. These protocols have been shown to reduce the number of stroke-related complications, which lead to improved quality of life for our patients,” says Mary Botticella, RN and the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer. “The Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certification recognizes FVRH’s commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community.”

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/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 is available at www.jointcommission.org.

 

About Fountain Valley Regional Hospital:

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center (FVRH), a 400-bed acute care hospital, is one of the most comprehensive medical facilities in Orange County. The hospital’s core services include the Orange County Institutes for Heart & Vascular Care, Spine, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, with advanced neonatal and pediatric intensive care. Each center is specially designed to better serve our patients. Our continuum of care also includes the Orange County Regional Cancer Center including a newly renovated Center for Breast Care, labor and delivery, transfusion-free medicine and surgery, 24-hour emergency care including the first accredited Chest Pain Center in Orange County, urgent track, surgical weight loss services, inpatient and outpatient surgery. FVRH is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. To learn more about Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center visit www.fountainvalleyhospital.com.

About The Joint Commission:

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more then 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,800 other health care organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. In addition, the Joint Commission provides certification of disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and 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.