Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 After undergoing a voluntary on-site evaluation and demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for stroke care, Hendersonville Medical Center learned today that the facility has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for certification as a Primary Stroke Center.

“We are very excited about this certification,” said HMC Chief Executive Officer Regina Bartlett. “This designation emphasizes our long-standing commitment to providing the best care in our community. We are proud of our physicians, staff, EMS partners and stroke team who worked diligently to achieve this result. This is a great win for the patients of Sumner County.”

This is the second such certification for the hospital in recent weeks, as it was also named a certified joint replacement center a few weeks ago. HMC has been an accredited chest pain center for several years.

Each year about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, the nation’s third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today. According to the Joint Commission, achieving primary stroke certification proves that HMC has the ability to provide effective, timely care to stroke victims and can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients.

The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements and guidelines for stroke care. The Joint Commission launched the program—the nation’s first—in 2003. A list of programs certified by The Joint Commission is available at www.qualitycheck.org.

Hendersonville Medical Center, a 110-bed community-based medical center with comprehensive medical and surgical programs, has proudly provided quality healthcare to Sumner and surrounding counties for more than 30 years. An affiliate of TriStar Health System, Hendersonville Medical Center remains the only Accredited Chest Pain Center in Sumner County, increasing the likelihood of survival in a cardiac emergency by 37 percent, and the hospital is the region’s only community hospital with an Accredited Joint Center. For more information about the services offered and health plans accepted by Hendersonville Medical Center or TriStar Health System, or to request a tour of Hendersonville Medical Center, call TriStar MedLine at 342-1919 or visit the website at TriStarHealth.com and choose Hendersonville Medical Center.