Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital Awarded Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers

Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital is pleased to announce that it has been recertified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. This recognition means that the communities of the Twin Tiers have access to nationally certified stroke care.

This distinction comes as the hospital earned 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. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations. 

“We are incredibly honored to receive this advanced certification. When a person is having a stroke, minutes matter when it comes to outcomes. A stroke can be fatal or have devastating, life-altering effects, and the sooner that treatment is started, the better the likelihood of a positive outcome," said Dr. Marc Harris, Chairman of Guthrie Robert Packer’s Hospital’s Emergency Department, "Achieving this distinction is truly a team effort. Hospitals named as Primary Stroke Centers must have a highly skilled, coordinated stroke team which involves clinicians in emergency services, radiology, surgery, and the hospitalist program. For a patient experiencing a stroke, the quicker and more targeted the response, the greater the chance of a full recovery."

Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review during which Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.

“Guthrie has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “We commend Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital for becoming a leader in stroke care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”

Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (JAMA, 2000) and the “Revised and Updated Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2011).

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.

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.

About Guthrie:
Guthrie is a non-profit integrated health system located in north central Pennsylvania and upstate New York, serving patients from an 11-county service area. Guthrie is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network and is the first health system based in Pennsylvania and New York to join this network. Guthrie is comprised of a research institute, home care/hospice, hospitals in Sayre, Pa., Corning, N.Y., Towanda, Pa., and Troy, Pa., as well as a multi-specialty group practice of more than 325 physicians and 210 advanced practice providers in a regional office network encompassing 47 sub-specialty and primary care sites in 21 communities throughout Pennsylvania and New York. In addition, Guthrie offers home medical equipment and respiratory therapy products at six convenient Med Supply Depot locations. Guthrie provides a wide range of services and programs to enhance the health and well-being of those it serves.