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Shawnee Mission Medical Center’s Stroke Program Awarded Certification from Joint Commission

MERRIAM, Kan. – Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC) has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers. SMMC earned this distinction after the Joint Commission conducted an unannounced on-site review in January.

“We’re proud to achieve the distinction,” said Susan Stark, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, director of evidence-based practice. “Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification recognizes Shawnee Mission Medical Center’s commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community.”

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 www.jointcommission.org.

About Shawnee Mission Medical Center
Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC) is a 445-bed facility with nearly 20,000 inpatient admissions and more than 200,000 outpatient admissions annually. SMMC has the busiest emergency department in Johnson County, the area's first accredited Chest Pain Emergency Center, a nationally recognized Center for Women's Health and delivers more babies each year than any other hospital in the metropolitan area. SMMC employs more than 2,800 local residents and supports an exceptional staff of 700 physicians representing 50 medical specialties, the largest medical staff in Kansas City. Visit us on the Web at ShawneeMission.org.

About the Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,800 other health care organizations that provide long-term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services.

The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks and other managed care entities. In addition, the Joint Commission provides certification of disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers and health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about the Joint Commission at www.jointcomission.org.