Spring Valley Hospital Awarded Specialized Stroke Certifications From The Joint Commission
Spring Valley Hospital and its freestanding emergency department are the first two medical facilities in Las Vegas to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s® Heart-Check mark for two specialized stroke designations: Certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) for Spring Valley Hospital and an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital (ASRH) for the ER at Blue Diamond.
Both facilities underwent a rigorous, on-site review between November 10-12, 2021. During the survey, Spring Valley Hospital program members provided the surveyor with information and examples of evidence-based measures including identification of stroke that includes large vessel occlusions (LVOs), appropriate treatment of stroke (including ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes), perceptions of the patient’s experience and examples of stroke education.
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Large vessel occlusions are a type of stroke that occurs in a large vessel of the brain with the potential to cause significant, disabling strokes. Blood clots in the brain can be removed, when appropriate, through the specialized equipment and expertise of the interventional radiology medical team. The procedure involves making a small incision, usually near the groin, and threading a catheter to the blockage site to remove the clot. Patients who receive this advanced treatment have a greater chance to return to normal functioning and reduced risk of a serious disability, such as paralysis.
To better care for its patients, Spring Valley Hospital follows a specific, interdisciplinary plan to continually improve stroke outcomes in the lives of its patients. Today, the hospital offers a suite of neurology and neurosurgical services including stroke diagnosis and treatment, in-house neuro-hospitalist coverage, neurosurgical and neurovascular services and interventional radiology services to treat brain aneurysms (a bulge in the wall of an artery) or blood clots.
“I’m incredibly proud of this team and their accomplishments, especially since they achieved this new designation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Leonard Freehof, CEO of Spring Valley Hospital. “This is a certification that takes months of planning, execution, data collection and review, real-time education and a continuous flow of information to our employees, medical staff and emergency medicine partners. The collective commitment of the entire team, from nursing and therapy to our medical staff and quality professionals, showcases their determination to provide the best possible stroke care to our patients.”
The Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewer also conducted on-site observations and interviews.
“The Certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center and Acute Stroke Ready Hospital certifications recognize healthcare organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, Chief Operating Officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and Chief Nursing Executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Spring Valley Hospital and the ER at Blue Diamond for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for patients affected by stroke.”
“We congratulate both medical facilities for this outstanding achievement,” says Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects their commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”