Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center Receives Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center Certification

Fountain Valley, Calif. – August 15, 2018 – Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center recently earned Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) certification from The Joint Commission, in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA). Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center is the third hospital in California to receive this recognition and the seventh in the United States. This certification signifies the hospital meets rigorous standards for performing mechanical endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a specialized surgical procedure used to remove a blood clot from the brain during an ischemic stroke.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and more than 87 percent of cases are ischemic strokes caused by a clot that cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain. These types of strokes are largely treatable if a patient gets to a hospital that can provide the right treatment in time.

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center was evaluated during an onsite review on June 13 and 14, for compliance with the TSC requirements that were developed with input from experts on comprehensive stroke treatment and stroke program management.

To be eligible for the certification, the hospital was required to meet strict guidelines that include performing EVT on a minimum of 15 patients in the past year, or 30 patients in the past two years, and the capability to perform EVT around the clock, seven days a week. The hospital’s primary neurointerventionalists—the physicians who routinely perform emergency mechanical thrombectomy—also must meet the highest standards of subspecialty training.

“Our hospital is dedicated to investing in the latest technology. Our community now has access to advanced services that can save and improve lives,” said Kenneth D. McFarland, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center’s CEO. “The certification recognizes that our hospital is a leader in the treatment of ischemic strokes with more advanced capabilities. We could not be prouder of becoming one of the first hospitals in Orange County to earn The Joint Commission Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center designation.”

“The Joint Commission congratulates Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center on this significant achievement which makes it a preferred location for transporting patients with suspected ischemic stroke,” said David Baker, MD, MPH, FACP, executive vice president, Division of Health Care Quality Evaluation, The Joint Commission. “Multiple studies have proven EVT treatment to be effective in saving lives and lowering disability from stroke.”

“With the recent advances in endovascular therapies for acute ischemic stroke, it’s important to recognize hospitals which can perform this critical intervention safely and effectively and we commend Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center on this designation,” said Edward C. Jauch, MD, chair of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Hospital Accreditation Stroke Subcommittee. “The TSC certification helps prehospital providers better understand hospital stroke capabilities and assist in regional EMS triage of stroke patients so that the patient gets to the right hospital for the right treatment.”

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center is also a Certified Advanced Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and has received The Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite Gold Plus Recognition Award every year since it was instituted in 2015 by the AHA/ASA.

For more information on Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, visit https://www.fountainvalleyhospital.com. For more information on the TSC certification program, visit www.jointcommission.org.