Providence Little Company of Mary Awarded Highest Stroke Certification

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance’s stroke center has earned national certification for the advanced specialized level of care and treatment it provides. 

The medical center’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, one of the first to be designated in Los Angeles County, has met the stringent guidelines set by The Joint Commission, a national independent organization that evaluates, accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs. The medical center is the South Bay’s only Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. 

“We are proud to be our community’s leading center for stroke care, “ says Garry Olney, the hospital’s chief executive. 

This designation is significant because paramedics who recognize patients with symptoms of severe stroke bypass other hospitals to get to comprehensive centers. Patients are cared for quickly, limiting the possibility of permanent deficits resulting from major strokes. 

With this certification the hospital joins an elite group of health care organizations focused on highly specialized stroke care. To be eligible, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and meet additional requirements, including those related to advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and staff with unique education and competencies to care for complex cases. 

Stroke is the number five 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. 

Please visit our website to learn more about our stroke and neurosciences services.