For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Aspirus Riverview Hospital has earned Advanced Certification as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital by The Joint Commission.

The certification recognizes hospitals equipped to treat stroke patients with timely, evidence-based care prior to transferring them to a primary or comprehensive stroke center. Aspirus Riverview underwent a rigorous onsite review to assess its compliance with The Joint Commission’s Advanced Disease-Specific Care certification requirements, including:

• A dedicated stroke-focused program
• Staffing by qualified medical professionals trained in stroke care
• Collaboration with local emergency management agencies
• 24/7 ability to perform rapid diagnostic and laboratory testing
• Ability to administer intravenous clot-busting medications to eligible patients
• Availability of telemedicine technology

“We are proud to receive Advanced Certification as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital,” said Todd Burch, Chief Executive Officer of Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics. “This certification demonstrates the dedication by the Aspirus Riverview staff and local emergency services personnel to provide exceptional medical care to patients experiencing 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.

“Currently, nearly half of the population of the United States lives 60 miles or more away from a primary stroke center or comprehensive stroke center,” said Lee H. Schwamm, MD, American Stroke Association. “If patients who experience an acute ischemic stroke can get treated with clot-busting medications quickly, more lives would be saved and more patients would have improved outcomes.”

“This new certification acts as important bridge and will be a key component in an evolving system of stroke care,” said Patrick Phelan, interim executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. “A Joint Commission and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association certified Acute Stroke Ready Hospital will be the foundation for acute stroke care in many communities, allowing it to be the first stop on a patient’s acute stroke journey.”