DHMC

LEBANON – Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, a member of Dartmouth Health, has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification.

DHMC underwent a rigorous onsite review on March 15 and 16, 2022. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards, including everything required to care for patients with ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. This was done in coordination with the regional Emergency Medical Services, special interventions, advanced imaging and neurocritical care. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“Through hard work, dedication and a ton of teamwork, we have ensured DHMC can receive and treat the most complex stroke cases,” said Shawna S. Malynowski, BSN, RN, MBA, Stroke Program manager at DHMC. “We have committed our institution to consistently meet the requirements for this certification, thus committing to continual improvement to the quality of care our patients receive.”

“This was a rigorous inspection of all aspects of our program from top to bottom, and getting through it is a testament to our dedication to provide excellent, comprehensive care,” added Timothy G. Lukovits, MD, medical director of the Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke Program at DHMC.

The Joint Commission enterprise is a global driver of quality improvement and patient safety in healthcare, which helps organizations across the continuum of care lead the way to zero harm.

“Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer for accreditation and certification operations, and chief nursing executive of The Joint Commission. “We commend DHMC for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for stroke patients.”

“We congratulate DHMC for this outstanding achievement,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”

Through comprehensive data management, performance improvement initiatives and education throughout our system, DHMC was able to meet national performance measures required by The Joint Commission to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients.