Queen of the Valley receives Primary Stroke Center Certification

Designation recognizes hospital for making exceptional efforts to improve results for stroke patients

Queen of the Valley Medical Center today earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for certification as a Primary Stroke Center, making it the only Certified Primary Stroke Center in Napa County.

The Primary Stroke Center certification demonstrates that Queen of the Valley’s services have the critical elements to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke care. According to the Joint Commission the certification is also the best signal to the community that the quality care the Queen provides is effectively managed to meet the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients.

“We are thrilled to earn this important distinction,” said Larry Coomes, Chief Executive, Queen of the Valley Medical Center. “This is a culmination of two years of hard work by many departments, caregivers and physicians, and is a testament to the outstanding care we provide to our patients.”

To achieve certification as a Primary Stroke Center, Queen of the Valley successfully completed an on-site evaluation and demonstrated compliance with nationally-developed standards for stroke care. Developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and launched in 2003, the Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program is based on the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers." Certification is available only to stroke programs in Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals.

“We are honored to be nationally-recognized for delivering excellent care for all patients with stroke," said Caroline Potter, RN, BSN, Stroke Program Coordinator, Queen of the Valley Medical Center. “Our team of healthcare professionals is dedicated to providing prompt diagnosis, treatment and recovery. These are essential elements in improving outcomes after a stroke."

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.

"Providing quality, comprehensive care here in the Napa Valley is at the heart of our vision of ‘health for a better world,’ added Coomes. “I am very proud of the many improvements we are making at the Queen to better serve our community.”

ABOUT QUEEN OF THE VALLEY
Queen of the Valley Medical Center is a 208-bed, acute-care facility founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. The Queen is the largest health care facility and one of the largest employers in Napa County. Services provided include Level III trauma care, cardiac care, orthopedics, a cancer center approved with commendations by the American College of Surgeons, the Peggy Herman Neuroscience Center, maternity and infant care, inpatient and outpatient minimally invasive surgery, among many other specialty services. More information about Queen of the Valley Medical Center can be found at www.thequeen.org.