Stroke Program at Baton Rouge General Earns Re-Certification

BATON ROUGE, La. – Today, Baton Rouge General (BRG) announced that it has again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The certification was awarded for meeting the highest standards for the treatment of stroke patients, including speed of care and innovative procedures that prevent death and minimize brain damage.

Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. Time is critical when someone is suffering a stroke, and immediate treatment at a Primary Stroke Center offers the best chance of survival and recovery.

"Someone dies of a stroke every four minutes,” said BRG Chief Medical Officer Andy Olinde. “We are proud to offer high quality care that gives our patients the best opportunity for treatment and recovery.”

Baton Rouge General is the only hospital in Baton Rouge with the primary stroke certification, chest pain center certification and a certified cardiac rehab program. The hospital underwent a rigorous on-site review to earn the certification in 2016, and recently repeated the process for re-certification. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.

Earlier this year, Baton Rouge General was named one of the country’s safest hospitals when it received the Healthgrades 2018 Patient Safety Excellence Award. It was also rated the #1 hospital in Greater Baton Rouge for overall medical care in 2017 (CareChex) and #1 in Louisiana for heart failure treatment in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (CareChex).

Established in 2003, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. For more information, click here or call (225) 819-1161.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with 588 licensed beds between two campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General serves as an affiliate of Tulane University School of Medicine, and offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter at @BRGeneral

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