University of Maryland Medical Center Once Again Awarded Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Center

UMMC Remains One of Nation's Top Programs to Treat Most Complex Stroke Patients

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) has once again achieved The Joint Commission's Advanced Certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC). The two-year designation is awarded to just 123 elite stroke centers in the United States.

With this recertification, UMMC remains one of an elite group of health care organizations focused on highly-specialized stroke care. To be eligible, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and meet additional requirements, including those related to advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and providing staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.

"It is a privilege to take care of the most critically ill stroke patients in Maryland," says Marcella Wozniak, MD, associate professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at UMMC. "We are proud to be among those leading the way to advance stroke treatment and care."

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

"By achieving this advanced certification, the University of Maryland Medical Center has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of its patients with a complex stroke condition," says Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP, MPH, president and CEO, The Joint Commission. "Certification is a voluntary process and The Joint Commission commends UMMC for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate the standard of its care for the community it serves."

"The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association congratulates the University of Maryland Medical Center on achieving Comprehensive Stroke Center certification," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. "Meeting the standards for Comprehensive Stroke Center certification represents a commitment to deliver high-quality care to all patients affected by stroke."

Established in 2012, Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition's "Recommendations for Comprehensive Stroke Centers" (Stroke, 2005), "Metrics for Measuring Quality of Care in Comprehensive Stroke Centers" (Stroke, 2011) and recommendations from a multidisciplinary advisory panel of experts in complex stroke care.

"Stroke can be a complex and challenging condition. At the University of Maryland Medical Center, we are continually striving to provide the best and most advanced care to our stroke patients. We are honored to receive this prestigious designation," says Karen Yarbrough, DNP, ACNP-BC, CRNP, director of the UMMC Comprehensive Stroke Center.

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About the University of Maryland Medical Center

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) comprises two hospitals in Baltimore: an 800-bed teaching hospital - the flagship institution of the 14-hospital University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) - and a 200-bed community teaching hospital, UMMC Midtown Campus. UMMC is a national and regional referral center for trauma, cancer care, neurological care, cardiac care, diabetes and endocrinology, women's and children's health, and has one of the largest solid organ transplant programs in the country. All physicians on staff at the flagship hospital are faculty physicians of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. At UMMC Midtown Campus, faculty physicians work alongside community physicians to provide patients with the highest quality care. UMMC Midtown Campus was founded in 1881 and is located one mile away from the University Campus hospital.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Commemorating its 210th Anniversary, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, upper-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine, and distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has 1,307 students, 685 residents, 562 fellows, and nearly $450 million in extramural funding, with more than half of its academic departments ranked in the top 20 among all public medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has nearly 7,000 total employees. The combined School and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has a total budget of $5 billion and an economic impact of nearly $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8th-highest public medical school in research productivity, has been an innovator in translational medicine with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu/

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 accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit 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.

About the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - America's No. 1 and No. 5 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based American Heart Association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow the American Heart Association on Facebook and Twitter (@American_Heart).