St. John West Shore Hospital Earns Certification as Primary Stroke Center

Accreditation Reflects Hospital’s Track Record for Positive Outcomes

WESTLAKE, OH – November 29, 2007 -- St. John West Shore Hospital has become the area’s newest Primary Stroke Center in Northeast Ohio, having received official certification from The Joint Commission.  The accreditation came after a recent on-site review by Joint Commission representatives confirmed that St. John West Shore Hospital follows the national standards set by the American Stroke Association and has achieved superior patient outcomes in the area of stroke treatment.

“This distinction represents a major milestone for our hospital,” said Sagarika Nayak, MD, Stroke Committee Chair for St. John West Shore Hospital.  “It confirms that we have the necessary resources and procedures in place to successfully care for stroke patients.”

The Joint Commission launched the national accreditation program in 2003 as a means of designating those hospitals that follow national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve the outcomes for stroke patients.  The incidence of stroke is widespread and on the increase.  According to the American Stroke Association, each year more than 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke, which has become the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. behind heart disease and cancer.  Research from the American Heart Association predicts that that number of people suffering a stroke will double in the coming decades as our population continues to age.

“The decision to pursue the Stroke Center certification is in line with our hospital’s ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality patient care in the region,” said Cliff J. Coker, president of St. John West Shore Hospital.  “It signals to the community that we have reached a level of excellence in this area of treatment so that patients and their families have the confidence that they are in the best hands.”

In addition to receiving accreditation for its stroke program, St. John West Shore Hospital also has an accredited Chest Pain Center and is in the process of pursuing accreditation for its Level III Trauma Center.  

“Our focus on care for stroke patients begins long before the patient ever enters the hospital,” said Dr. Nayak.  “Through our community education programs and screenings, we work to promote healthy lifestyle changes and educate people about prevention.  Our partnerships with the local EMS squads include a number of quality initiatives focused on early identification of symptoms, which is critical to creating positive outcomes.  As a certified Stroke Center, we have the ability to administer the well-known tPA clot-buster drug but only if the patient arrives within three hours of the onset of the stroke.”

Since time is so critical in the case of a stroke, Dr. Nayak noted that their entire emergency staff is specially trained to be alert to possible symptoms and react quickly.  “We are especially proud of our response times,” said Dr. Nayak, “We feel it is our ability to react that has resulted in our superior outcomes which have, in turn, led to the accreditation of our program.”

For more information on the Stroke Center at St. John West Shore Hospital, visit www.sjws.net.