Augusta, GA--The stroke program at MCG Health System was recently granted a two-year certification by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, an independent organization that is the nation’s oldest and largest standards setting and accrediting body in health care.
The stroke program at MCG Health System is the first in the CSRA to obtain the certification, and one of only six in Georgia. JCAHO awarded the stroke program a Disease-Specific Care Certification, which involves a voluntary, comprehensive on-site evaluation by a team of JCAHO reviewers every two years.
“Certification by JCAHO demonstrates not only MCG Health System’s commitment to excellence in providing stroke management but also our commitment to continuous improvements in care,” said Bill Hamilton, Administrative Director of the MCG Neuroscience Center. “Certification also signifies that the stroke program has met or surpassed the standards and criteria defined by JCAHO. The thoroughness and detail involved in the review process is a testament to the true depth and breadth of the stroke program.”
“Stroke management involves multidisciplinary care from many areas of the hospital, including nursing, rehabilitation, diet/nutrition, radiology and the emergency department, as well as neurology and neurosurgery, to name just a few,” said Dr. David Hess, Chair of the Department of Neurology. “Thanks to the support of the entire hospital, our program is recognized as a leader in stroke care, both in the CSRA and nationwide.”
The stroke program is also one of only 30 programs nationwide asked to participate in a year-long program to assist JCAHO in validating existing standards for certification.
Comprehensive stroke services at MCG Health System are composed of clinical care, research and education, and focus on both acute care management and secondary stroke prevention. The program has also developed REACH, or Remote Evaluation of Acute IsCHemic stroke, a web-based telemedicine program that offers real-time diagnosis of stroke to participating rural hospitals throughout Georgia, including McDuffie Regional Medical Center in Thomson, Ga.; Wills Memorial Hospital in Washington, Ga.; Emanuel Medical Center in Swainsboro, Ga.; Jenkins County Hospital in Millen, Ga.; Washington County Regional Medical Center in Sandersville, Ga.; Morgan Memorial Hospital in Madison, Ga.; and Jefferson County Hospital in Louisville, Ga. Comprehensive stroke services follow Brain Attack Coalition and American Stroke Association guidelines.
MCG Health System has also been named the top performer among 35 academic medical centers nationwide by the University HealthSystem Consortium for stroke care. UHC is an alliance of the clinical enterprises of 87 academic health centers.
MCG Health System is composed of three separate organizations -- MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. The physicians of MCG Health System are community physicians, faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia, and employees of the Physicians Practice Group, not employees of MCG Health Inc. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Medical Center, MCG Children’s Medical Center, the MCG Sports Medicine Center, MCG Ambulatory Care Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by providing an environment for faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the Physicians Practice Group and community physicians to deliver the highest level of primary and specialty health care. For more information, please visit www.MCGHealth.org.