WESTERLY – Westerly Hospital has been recertified by The Joint Commission for its Acute Stroke Ready Hospital program, a designation that the hospital says means patients presenting with stroke symptoms will be treated quickly and safely to prevent brain loss.
The Acute Stroke Ready Hospital certification was developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Certified hospitals become part of a larger stroke system of care in which the hospital is equipped to evaluate, stabilize and provide emergency care to patients with acute stroke symptoms.
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Westerly was first certified in 2019 after implementing Yale New Haven Health System’s Telestroke program, which provides 24-hour communication with stroke-trained neurologists.
Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and a leading cause of adult disability, reports the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, which estimates that someone dies of a stroke every four minutes. A stroke occurs when a clot or a rupture prevents blood flow to the brain.
“This recertification reflects the commitment of our employees and medical staff to provide the greatest of care to our patients,” said Richard Lisitano, president of Westerly Hospital. “Being a member of the Yale New Haven Health Stroke Network, our stroke team has adopted a comprehensive set of evidence-based care guidelines and performance measures that lead to better outcomes for our patients. Being able to offer this level of care in Westerly further demonstrates that delivering high-quality health care to our patients is our No. 1 priority.”
Lisa Bedard, advanced practice registered nurse and stroke program manager, said, “For a small community hospital like Westerly, Acute Stroke Ready Hospital certification means that our patients can be certain they will receive the greatest of care during a very time-sensitive emergency.”
