Houston Northwest Medical Center earns stroke certification

The Joint Commission has awarded Houston Northwest Medical Center stroke certification for its Primary Stroke Center.    Houston Northwest's stroke program earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval by complying with the organization's standards for health care quality and safety in stroke care.    "We underwent a rigorous onsite survey that evaluated us for compliance with standards of care in a number of different areas such as infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management," said Linda Mercier, CEO at Houston Northwest Medical Center, in a press release.    "The dedication of our team members and medical staff helped us earn this distinction that signifies the hospital's commitment to making exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke patients," she said.    The Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Certification Program was started in 2002 as a way to evaluate specific health care programs. Its three core areas of evaluation deal with national standard compliance, the use of clinical practice guidelines for optimal health care and performance organization.    "In achieving Joint Commission certification, Houston Northwest Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients with stroke," said Jean Range, executive director of the Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Certification, in a press release. "Certification is a voluntary process and I commend the hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."    The Joint Commission has certified more than 2,000 programs as disease-specific care units, dealing with illnesses like stroke, heart failure and joint replacement.    Houston Northwest Medical Center offers care for stroke patients with services like carotid duplex ultrasound, extracranial ultrasonography and echocardiography. The care center is located at 710 F.M. 1960 in Houston.    For more information on Houston Northwest Medical Center's Stroke Center, call 888-797-2010.