News/PR
Bay Medical First Hospital in Florida to Receive National Certification as a Center of Excellence in Stroke Care
October 14, 2004
Panama City, Florida - Bay Medical is the first hospital in Florida to be certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAHO) as a Center of Excellence in Stroke Care. The Joint Commission conducted a survey in August on all aspects of Bay Medical's treatment of stroke patients and awarded the official certification on October 8, 2004. This certification is effective for two years from August 28, 2004, and is indicative of Bay Medical's compliance with consensus-based national standards; effective use of established clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and performance measurement and improvement activities.
Bay Medical has had a Stroke Team in place since 1997 that consists of emergency physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and neuroradiologists as well as numerous support staff from EMS, the emergency department, the radiology and diagnostic department, rehabilitation, and virtually every other aspect of patient care. This award establishes Bay Medical as a nationally certified Stroke Center of Excellence.
An important component of stroke care is community awareness of stroke symptoms. Knowing the signs and getting treatment within three hours of the first onset of a stroke could mean the difference between life and death or long-term disability. Bay Medical's Stroke Center of Excellence will launch an advertising campaign in November to alert the public of the symptoms of stroke and the importance of seeking treatment immediately. The symptoms include the sudden onset of:
- Severe headache with no known cause
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the body in the face, arm or leg
- Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Dimness or loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
For more information please contact Christa Hild at 747-6542.