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Long Branch, New Jersey—By demonstrating compliance with
The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care
quality and safety, Monmouth Medical Center, an affiliate of
the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, has earned The Joint Commission’s
Certificate of Distinction for Primary Stroke Centers.
“Achieving Primary Stroke Center certification from The
Joint Commission recognizes Monmouth Medical Center’s exceptional
efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care,” said
Frank Vozos, M.D., Executive Director, Monmouth Medical Center. “Achievement
of this certification signifies that the services Monmouth Medical
Center provides have the critical elements to achieve long-term
success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. It is also
demonstrates to the community that the quality care Monmouth
Medical Center provides is effectively managed to meet the unique
and specialized needs of stroke patients.”
The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart
Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) developed
performance measures for Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,
the first advanced-level certification program designed to recognize
primary stroke centers that make exceptional efforts to foster
better outcomes for stroke patient care. Unlike basic certification,
the advanced program outlined additional clinically-specific
requirements and expectations based on the Brain Attack Coalition’s
Recommendations for Primary Stroke Centers and guidelines developed
by the AHA/ASA and equivalent evidence-based guidelines. These
guidelines provided the foundation for the identification of
areas for performance measurement and the development of detailed
measure specifications.
“A stroke occurs by one of two mechanisms: either a part
of the brain dies from lack of blood, usually because one of
the arteries that supply oxygen-carrying blood to the brain has
been blocked or damaged, or alternatively, a blood vessel in
the brain bursts and the resultant hemorrhage disrupts the brain,” said
Martin Herman, M.D., Neurologist and Medical Director of Monmouth
Medical Center’s Primary Stroke Center. “Designation
as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission indicates
that Monmouth Medical Center is a facility that has dedicated
the resources to effectively treat a stroke patient during an
emergency.”
Monmouth Medical Center’s Stroke Center is comprised of
a designated stroke team of doctors, nurses and therapists, state-of-the-art
diagnostic brain imaging capabilities, an intensive care unit
led by nurses skilled in neurological emergencies, an inpatient
stroke care unit with specially trained nurses and an inpatient
and outpatient rehabilitation program which is provided in partnership
with HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Tinton Falls.
Additionally, Monmouth Medical Center’s team of neurosurgeons
provides critical support for sophisticated stroke treatment,
utilizing technical advances in microsurgery and monitoring of
intracranial pressure. In some severe cases of hemorrhagic stroke,
neurosurgery may be necessary. “Surgery may be required
to evacuate a blood clot and relieve elevated intracranial pressure,
or to drain spinal fluid when hemorrhagic strokes cause hydrocephalus,” said
Jonathan Lustgarten, M.D., Section Chief of Neurosurgery at Monmouth
Medical Center.
“Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate
continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in an
organization's performance and the outcomes of care,” says
Darlene Christiansen, executive director, Hospital Accreditation
Program, Joint Commission. “The community should be proud
that Monmouth Medical Center is focusing on the most challenging
goal -- to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels.”
When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by
that area of the brain are lost. These abilities include speech,
movement and memory. How a stroke patient is affected depends
on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain
is damaged. For example, someone who has a small stroke may
experience only minor problems such as weakness of an arm or
leg. People who have larger strokes may be paralyzed on one
side or lose their ability to speak. Some people recover completely
from strokes, but more than 2/3 of survivors will have some
type of disability. But recognizing risk factors and the warning
signs, as well as seeking immediate treatment can save both
lives and functioning.
“Risk factors that increase your risk of stroke include
age, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels,
heart disease, smoking and physical inactivity,” said Jennifer
Waxler, D.O., Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Monmouth Medical
Center. “Knowing the signs of a stroke and receiving immediate
medical care is critical. Educational efforts now stress the
people should ‘Think FAST.’”
FAST is an acronym for recognizing and responding to the symptoms
of stroke. It stands for face, arms, speech and time.
- Face: Does the face look uneven? Ask them to smile.
- Arm: Does one arm drift down? Ask them to raise both arms.
- Speech: Does their speech sound strange? Ask them to repeat
a phrase.
- Time: Every second, brain cells die. Call 9-1-1 at any sign
of stroke!
Through a partnership with HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
of Tinton Falls, patients of Monmouth Medical Center have access
to a Stroke Recovery Program, a specialized rehabilitation
program for stroke survivors. “Rehabilitation is a
critical part of recovery for many stroke survivors,” said
Todd J. Cooperman, M.D., Section Chief of Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation at Monmouth Medical Center and Medical Director
of The Rehabilitation Hospital of Tinton Falls. “The
effects of stroke may mean that patients must change, relearn
or redefine how they live. After a stroke, physical, speech
and occupational therapies can help patients manage the basics
of daily living, such as walking, dressing and eating.”
The Stroke Recovery Program is a structured, comprehensive therapy
program that features a team that includes a physiatrist, a variety
of herapists and nurses, and neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT)
certified staff.
For more information about the warning signs of stroke or for
a referral to a Monmouth Medical Center neurologist, please call
1-888-724-7123.
CONTACT: Dennis Wilson, Jr.
dwilson@barnabashealth.org
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