Memorial designated as primary stroke center

The Stroke Center at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission, designating the facility as a so-called “primary stroke center” with the critical elements needed to improve outcomes for stroke patients.
“This prestigious designation acknowledges the ability of our Stroke Center to provide the highest level of level patient care,” said Francis R. Dietz, president and CEO of the hospital, in a news release. “From the time patients arrive at the emergency department and on through rehabilitation and recovery, the comprehensive Stroke Center at Memorial provides an excellent continuum of care.”
The Joint Commission designation recognizes hospitals that offer advanced stroke care, aiming to help the public identify the best facilities for stroke patients. Memorial is only the third hospital in Rhode Island to be designated as a primary stroke center, along with Kent Hospital in Warwick and The Miriam Hospital in Providence.
The Stroke Center at Memorial takes a multidisciplinary, integrated team approach to stroke care, using comprehensive, written protocols.
“We have built a strong, cohesive team that can efficiently diagnose and treat patients who have experienced a stroke – anything from a mild ischemic event to a major brain attack,” said Dr. Mason C. Gasper, director of the stroke program and an assistant professor of clinical neurosciences at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Each year about 700,000 people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke; it is the nation’s third leading cause of death.
The primary stroke center designation comes just months after the stroke program was certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island is a 294-bed community hospital in Pawtucket, a teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the chief site for the medical school’s primary care academic program. For more information, go to www.mhri.org.