We’re the first and only Primary Stroke Center in Northwest Indiana!

On Sept. 24, 2007, La Porte Regional Health System received notification that it had earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers after an on-site review was conducted in September. La Porte Regional Health System is the only Primary Stroke Center in La Porte County and Northwest Indiana to achieve this distinction for disease-specific care.

“La Porte Regional Health System demonstrated that its stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” says Jean E. Range, MS, RN, CPHQ, Executive Director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, Joint Commission.

Each year about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

“We’re proud to achieve the distinction,” says Anita Ivankovig, MSA, BSN, RN, Assistant Vice President, Patient Care Services, La Porte Regional Health System. “The Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certification recognizes La Porte Regional Health System’s commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community.”

“This is great news. It shows the organization’s and the staff’s commitment to quality patient care, and the accomplishment of a group of dedicated members of La Porte Regional Health System,” says Martin J. Murphy, MD, physician champion. “Certification represents the highest level of recognition achievable by a healthcare provider or organization.”

The Joint Commission’s Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements/guidelines for stroke care. The Joint Commission launched the program-the nation’s first-in 2003. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at www.jointcommission.org. For more information, contact Francine Jackson, RN, Stroke Educator, La Porte Regional Health System at (219) 326-2576.