Centra, Central Virginia's Medical Leader

Centra’s Primary Stroke Center has once again received national recognition for its care of stroke patients. The Joint Commission has recertified Centra’s Primary Stroke Center. Centra Lynchburg General Hospital also has received the 2011 Get With The Guidelines–Stroke® Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association.

Both awards recognize Centra’s commitment and quality of care provided to stroke patients.

Joint Commission Certification

Centra Lynchburg General Hospital holds The Joint Commission national Certificate of Distinction for Primary Stroke Centers. The certification recognizes the center for making exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care. Certification means Centra complies with the highest national standards for safety and quality of care and signifies that the services at Centra have the critical elements to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients.

After an extensive on-site evaluation of Centra’s processes and ability to evaluate and improve care, The Joint Commission has no suggestions for improvement. The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare.

The Joint Commission specifically praised Centra’s Primary Stroke Center for its process for the administration of tPA (clot busting drug), dedication to performance improvement and educated staff members. The Joint Commission also encouraged Centra to continue its plan to become a Comprehensive Stroke Center when guidelines are released next year.

Think FAST is a nationally recognized acronym to help people recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke. If someone meets one of the criteria in Think FAST, it is a good idea to call 911 and get assessed by medical professionals.

Think F.A.S.T.  is the acronym for:

F:   Facial weakness; drooping on one side

A:  Arm numbness/weakness; arm drift

S:   Speech changes; slurring or omission of words

T:   Time of symptom onset; can you receive treatment within three hours

If a stroke occurs, immediate recognition and diagnosis leads to a better outcome because of the application of correct procedures.

Gold Plus Award

The Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Performance Award recognizes Centra Lynchburg General Hospital’s commitment and success in implementing excellent care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

The achievement awards recognize hospitals that demonstrate at least 85 percent compliance in each of seven Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Achievement Measures. The various levels reflect the amount of time for which the hospital demonstrates performance. Gold recognizes performance of 24 months or more.

The Gold Plus award is an advanced level of recognition that allows hospitals to be acknowledged for the compliance of the quality measures within the program.

To earn this award, Centra Lynchburg General Hospital successfully administered additional evidence-based therapies beyond the The Joint Commission/Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services core measures and the Get With The Guidelines performance measures.

Centra Lynchburg General Hospital will be honored during the International Stroke Conference and listed in advertisements in the magazine Stroke and in the “Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report.

For more information about stroke and the Primary Stroke Center at Centra, please visit CentraHealth.com.