Inova Loudoun Hospital Awarded Stroke Designations

Leesburg, VA — Inova Loudoun Hospital announced that it has maintained The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. Inova Loudoun has these quality designations since 2009.

Through a rigorous onsite review, the Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.  Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.

“By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines Inova Loudoun has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

In addition, the Inova Emergency Room – Ashburn and Inova Emergency Room – Leesburg (Cornwall) earned Advanced Disease-Specific Care Certification for Acute Stroke Ready Hospital from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The certification recognizes hospitals equipped to treat stroke patients with timely, evidence-based care prior to transferring them to a Primary or Comprehensive Stroke Center.  The Inova Emergency Room – Ashburn and Inova Emergency Room – Leesburg (Cornwall) are the second and third ERs in the Commonwealth of Virginia to achieve this honor.

Joint Commission’s Advanced Disease-Specific Care certification requires:

  • A dedicated stroke-focused program
  • Staffing by qualified medical professionals trained in stroke care
  • Collaboration with local emergency management agencies
  • 24/7 ability to perform rapid diagnostic and laboratory testing
  • Ability to administer intravenous clot-busting medications to eligible patients
  • Availability of telemedicine technology

“This new certification acts as important bridge and will be a key component in an evolving system of stroke care,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission.

“We are pleased to have received these designations from such highly regarded organizations. These certifications demonstrate our continued commitment to the community to provide advanced care and a higher standard of service to stroke patients,” stated Deborah Addo, CEO, Inova Loudoun Hospital. “Loudoun’s residents can trust our exceptional, highly qualified stroke team should they ever need these services.”

Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Media Contact: Reneé Brohard, APR, 540-454-3493

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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 accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit 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 and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke- America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team 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 American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The familiar Heart-Check mark now helps consumers evaluate their choices in hospital care. Each mark given to a hospital is earned by meeting specific standards for the care of patients with heart disease and/or stroke. The Heart-Check mark can only be displayed by hospitals that have achieved and defined requirements set by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. For more information on the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Hospital Accreditation Program visit www.heart.org/myhospital.

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