Hos­pi­tal mis­sion reaf­firmed by Advanced Cer­ti­fi­ca­tion for Pri­ma­ry Stroke Center

JACKSONVILLE, NC – Onslow Memorial Hospital enters the new year reaffirming its mission to reduce stroke risk for Onslow County. The hospital is strengthened in that resolve by its recent Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers from The Joint Commission (TJC).

The hospital earned both The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark.

“Our hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review of our stroke program in November,” said Sue Taphous, Stroke Nurse Coordinator. “Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including our program management, our delivery of clinical care and our performance improvement.”

What TJC found was a hospital that “thoroughly demonstrates the greatest commitment to the care of stroke patients,” said Patrick Phelan, TJC interim executive director.

“The impact of the stroke program has reduced the incidence of stroke mortality in Onslow County over the past decade,” explained Jo Malfitano, Director of Performance Improvement & Accreditation at OMH. “Our staff and providers are passionate in their commitment to continue to improve stroke related risks factors for our community – such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes.”

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.

“Our stroke program includes prevention outreach through public education and screenings,” added Taphous. “A big part of our mission is to educate about the risk factors for stroke. People need to know that there are risk factors that are within their control, that having a stroke is not at all inevitable with aging.”

Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to TJC-accredited acute care hospitals. “This recertification provides us with the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide, and to let our community know that each and every day we strive to advance our care even further,” Taphous stated.

Hospital leadership is committed to continuing to reduce stroke and TIA (transient ischemic attack) for the residents of Onslow County and the surrounding areas. From the Emergency Department to discharge planning, from education to screenings, OMH stands ready as the community’s patient- and family-centered hospital for stroke care.

About The Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve healthcare for the public by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.