Allegheny Health Network’s Canonsburg Hospital has been certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. This recognition follows a detailed onsite review of the hospital’s adherence to stroke care standards and its ability to deliver treatments that can help minimize brain injury and improve patient outcomes.
The Joint Commission is known as the oldest and largest healthcare accrediting body in the United States.
Chong Park, MD, president of AHN Canonsburg, stated, “We’re extremely proud of our remarkable clinician teams at this hospital who work tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. To that end, we’ve carefully designed our stroke program to facilitate expeditious, highly effective treatments – from the moment a patient experiencing a possible stroke arrives, our dedicated care teams are prepared to deliver rapid interventions that minimize injury and support an optimal recovery.”
AHN Canonsburg becomes the sixth hospital within Allegheny Health Network to receive this certification. Other certified hospitals in the network include AHN Wexford, Allegheny Valley, Forbes, Jefferson and West Penn hospitals in Pittsburgh, as well as AHN Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie. For more complex stroke cases, patients may be referred to AHN Allegheny General Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Stroke remains a major health concern in the United States. It is currently the fifth-leading cause of death nationwide and is also one of the main causes of long-term disability. Each year nearly 800,000 people experience a stroke.
Patient outcomes after a stroke are closely linked to how quickly treatment begins following the event. Rapid emergency care aimed at restoring blood flow can significantly increase survival rates.
Common warning signs of stroke include facial drooping, arm weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech and vision problems. Factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking, obesity and diabetes contribute significantly to stroke risk.
The hospital’s acute multidisciplinary team works alongside AHN’s Neuroscience Institute and includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, case managers or social workers, stroke navigators, neurologists, emergency medicine physicians and nurses with specialized training in stroke care.
AHN Canonsburg Hospital is located in North Strabane Township in Washington County. It operates 104 beds and employs over 400 staff members. The facility recently marked its 120th anniversary and offers various services such as cardiovascular care (including rehabilitation), orthopedic surgery, general surgery, critical care medicine and inpatient rehabilitation.
Last year AHN Canonsburg received recognition from both the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association through their Get with the Guidelines awards for achievements in heart failure and stroke care.
For additional information about AHN’s approach to stroke treatment or prevention resources visit www.ahn.org/stroke.
