The Joint Commission has Re-Certified the Hospital as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center

Day Kimball Hospital, part of the Day Kimball Healthcare system, has 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.

Day Kimball Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review in March to renew the certification, which it first received in 2013. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.

“Day Kimball Hospital has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Michele Sacco, M.S., interim executive director, Certification Programs. “We commend Day Kimball Hospital for becoming a leader in stroke care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”

Dr. Steven Wexler, Medical Director of Day Kimball Hospital’s Emergency Department, said the achievement is a testament to the continued commitment and dedication of the hospital’s stroke coordinator, Pamela Provisor, and the entire Emergency Department staff. “We have an amazing team here and their continued commitment to providing the best care possible is the reason we’ve earned this certification,” Wexler said. 

Wexler went on to explain that according to current data from Medicare’s Hospital Compare website, out of all Connecticut hospitals Day Kimball Hospital has the second-highest percentage of patients who came to the ED with stroke symptoms who received brain scan results within 45 minutes of arrival. 

“To provide that level of care for a condition in which a patient’s outcome hinges on a fast response is quite an achievement, and we’re really proud of that. We pride ourselves on being a small community hospital that can provide not only a personal touch but top-quality care at the same time,” Wexler said. 

Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association said, “We congratulate Day Kimball Hospital for achieving this designation. By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines Day Kimball has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”

“We’re both pleased and proud to have once again received advanced certification from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association,” said Robert Smanik, President and CEO of Day Kimball Healthcare. “The certification provides us with the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide as well as to continually strive to advance our care even further.” 

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. May is American Stroke Month.