HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest awarded Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification from Joint Commission

Houston, TX – HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^® and the American Heart and Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Comprehensive Stroke Certification. 

HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest underwent a rigorous, onsite review on September 16, 2022. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards, including program management and delivering and facilitating clinical care. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews. 

The certification recognizes healthcare organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of care for stroke. It evaluates how organizations use clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care, as well as prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge.  This certification also validates that the hospital has an integrated approach to delivering care to patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Regardless of where a patient enters the system, they receive comprehensive stroke care. Those facilities designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center deliver the highest levels of stroke and neurological care to stroke and / or neurologically-impaired patients. 

“HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest Comprehensive Stroke Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for stroke patients.” 

“We congratulate HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest for this outstanding achievement,” says Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.” 

“I am very grateful for the team and their tremendous efforts in becoming a Comprehensive Stroke Center certified by Joint Commission," said Scott Davis, Chief Executive Officer, HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest.  This Comprehensive Stroke Center service will be a tremendous benefit to the community we serve in providing high-quality care to patients with strokes and other neurological conditions.  The team of providers we have assembled to care for our patients is truly exceptional and I am proud of what they do each day to provide excellent care to our patients.  Our community will benefit for many years due to the efforts of this team and the quality of the providers at HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest.  

For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.