EvergreenHealth Awarded Advanced Certification for its Primary Stroke Center and Inpatient Diabetes Program from The Joint Commission

KIRKLAND, Wash., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EvergreenHealth has maintained two prestigious advanced certifications from The Joint Commission, for both its inpatient diabetes care and its primary stroke center, following reviews in April 2013. Achieving these certifications signifies EvergreenHealth's dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission's state-of-the-art standards, and to fostering better outcomes for patients.

The Primary Stroke Center has maintained its advanced certification since November 2007, demonstrating that its specialized stroke care meets critical elements of performance to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program, developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association, 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.

The Inpatient Diabetes Program has been certified since December 2011, in recognition of exemplary standards for health care quality and safety within EvergreenHealth's diabetes education and nutrition services. The Joint Commission's Advanced Certification for Inpatient Diabetes Care provides standards related to staff education, written blood glucose monitoring protocols, plans for the treatment of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, data collection of incidences of hypoglycemia and patient education.

"These certifications from The Joint Commission underscore our commitment to developing practices and programs that yield positive outcomes in a setting that holds absolute safety and the patient experience in the highest regard," said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte. "We congratulate these two programs for their well-deserved recognition in this area."

Joint Commission experts evaluated EvergreenHealth for compliance with the requirements for The Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Certification program, as well as inpatient diabetes care-specific standards, clinical practice guidelines and performance measures.

"Certification is a voluntary process," said Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. "I commend EvergreenHealth for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."

EvergreenHealth will continue to display The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval®, helping patients easily identify EvergreenHealth as a facility of quality that has surpassed numerous goals in the treatment of stroke and diabetes.

Along with these recent Joint Commission certifications, EvergreenHealth's Stroke Center is ranked number 1 in Washington and in the top 5 percent in the nation for the treatment of stroke by Healthgrades, the nation's leading independent health care ratings company.

To learn more about EvergreenHealth, visit www.evergreenhealth.com or call the 24-hour Nurse Navigator & Healthline at 425.899.3000. 

About EvergreenHealth

EvergreenHealth, a public hospital district and community-based healthcare organization established in 1972, offers a breadth of services and programs that is among the most comprehensive in the region. More than 950 physicians provide clinical excellence within more than 80 specialties, including cardiac, oncology, surgical care, orthopedics, a neuroscience institute, women's and children's services, hospice care, pulmonary care, a sleep disorders center and home care services.  EvergreenHealth serves more than 400,000 residents in its primary service area of northern King and southern Snohomish counties with EvergreenHealth Primary Care, a network of primary and urgent care practices, and its main hospital campus in Kirkland, Wash. EvergreenHealth also provides emergency care at two sites; its main hospital campus and the EvergreenHealth Redmond Medical Center. In addition to clinical care, EvergreenHealth offers extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline, a 24/7 nurse consultation service. For more information, visit www.evergreenhealth.com.

About The Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, 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 evaluates and accredits more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,600 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,600 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also certifies more than 2,400 disease-specific care programs such as stroke, heart failure, joint replacement and stroke rehabilitation, and 400 health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

CONTACTS:

Kay Taylor
Vice President, Marketing, Communications & PR
EvergreenHealth
425.899.2604
[email protected]

Kristi Clough
Firmani + Associates Inc.
206.443.9357
[email protected]

SOURCE EvergreenHealth