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South Florida Baptist Hospital Stroke Care Program Awarded Certification from Joint Commission 03/24/2010 PLANT CITY, Fla. — South Florida Baptist Hospital has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers. The hospital earned this distinction after the Joint Commission conducted an unannounced on-site review in February. “South Florida Baptist Hospital demonstrated that its stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” said Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., 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. “This certification from The Joint Commission complements the Primary Stroke Center designation our hospital received from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration last December,” said COO Steve Nierman. “These significant accomplishments are directly aligned with our vision to be a regional leader in medical excellence by providing high-quality care. Our community can be rest assured that South Florida Baptist Hospital is providing first-rate care for stroke patients.” The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary 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 jointcommission.org.