June 18, 2019 – North Shore Medical Center’s comprehensive stroke program is the first in Miami Dade to earn the Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) certification from The Joint Commission, in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA). This certification signifies the hospital meets rigorous standards for performing mechanical endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a specialized surgical procedure used to remove a blood clot from the brain during an ischemic stroke.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and more than 87 percent of cases are ischemic strokes caused by a clot that cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain. These types of strokes are largely treatable if a patient gets to a hospital that can provide the right treatment in time.
“This award is the direct result of our stroke team’s relentless focus on strengthening our neurointerventional program at the hospital, for the benefit of our community and beyond,” said Mark Racicot, CEO of North Shore Medical Center. “We are pleased to continue providing this excellent standard of care our patients have come to expect.”
North Shore Medical Center was evaluated during an onsite review, for compliance with the TSC requirements that were developed with input from experts on comprehensive stroke treatment and stroke program management.
To be eligible for the certification, the hospital was required to meet strict guidelines that include performing EVT on a minimum of 15 patients in the past year, or 30 patients in the past two years, and the capability to perform EVT around the clock, seven days a week. The hospital’s primary neurointerventionists—the physicians who routinely perform emergency mechanical thrombectomy—also must meet the highest standards of subspecialty training.
“The Joint Commission congratulates North Shore Medical Center on this significant achievement which makes it a preferred location for transporting patients with suspected ischemic stroke,” said David Baker, MD, MPH, FACP, executive vice president, Division of Health Care Quality Evaluation, The Joint Commission. “Multiple studies have proven EVT treatment to be effective in saving lives and lowering disability from stroke.”
“With the recent advances in endovascular therapies for acute ischemic stroke, it’s important to recognize hospitals which can perform this critical intervention safely and effectively and we commend North Shore Medical Center, on this designation,” said Edward C. Jauch, MD, chair of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Hospital Accreditation Stroke Subcommittee. “The TSC certification helps prehospital providers better understand hospital stroke capabilities and assist in regional EMS triage of stroke patients so that the patient gets to the right hospital for the right treatment.”
About North Shore Medical Center
North Shore Medical Center is a 337-bed general acute care community hospital located at 1100 NW 95th Street in Miami, Florida. The hospital is part of Tenet Healthcare’s Miami-Dade Group and has been serving the medical and healthcare needs of the North Miami community for more than 65 years. North Shore Medical Center offers a broad range of services, including: 24/7 emergency care, maternity services with a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a cardiac catheterization lab, and psychiatric care. The hospital also offers specialized centers including: A Community Cancer Center, Comprehensive Breast Institute, Sleep Disorders Center, Pain Care Center and Comprehensive Stroke Care Center.
North Shore Medical Center has consistently won achievement awards with the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program. The hospital has earned the 2018 Stroke and Target Stroke Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award and the 2018 Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. First in Florida Joint Commission Accredited Chest Pain Center. North Shore Medical Center is among 832 Hospitals Nationwide Awarded an “A” for its commitment to keeping patients safe and making the highest safety standards in the U.S for Fall, 2017 and Spring 2018. The Leapfrog Hospital Survey is the gold standard for comparing hospital’s performance on the national standards of quality and efficiency that are most relevant to consumers and purchasers of care.
North Shore Medical Center is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. To learn more about North Shore Medical Center, please visit www.northshoremedical.com.
