Bronson Recertified as a Primary Stroke CenterMay 24, 2007 KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Bronson Methodist Hospital has been recertified as a Primary Stroke Center and has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission. The recertification means that Bronson has made exceptional efforts to meet the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients and uses best practice guidelines to ensure stroke patients have the best chance of a good outcome. Bronson has been a certified stroke center since 2005. “This recertification by the Joint Commission assures residents of southwest Michigan that by choosing Bronson when they experience signs and symptoms of stroke, they will be getting the highest level of care,” said Dean Kindler, M.D., Bronson medical director for adult neurology and stroke service. The Joint Commission found that Bronson has a comprehensive neruorsciences program that utilizes acute stroke treatment protocols from intravenous through intra-arterial thrombolysis and is supported by sound emergency, neurologic, neuroradiologic, endovascular, neurosurgical and critical care services to patients 24/7, as well as a complete range of post-acute services from rehabilitation to home health care. Bronson also has the area's only vascular neurologist, a physician who provides advanced diagnosis of stroke and related diseases, and neurointensivist, a physician who provides advanced diagnosis and treatment for critically ill patients with neurological diseases. Bronson is a member of the National Stroke Association (NSA) and the National Stroke Center Network. The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center Certification program was developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and is based on recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. About 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke every year. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today. About Bronson Methodist Hospital Bronson Methodist Hospital, located at 601 John St. in downtown Kalamazoo, Mich., is the flagship of Bronson Healthcare Group, a not-for-profit healthcare system serving all of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. With 343 licensed beds and all private rooms, Bronson Methodist Hospital provides care in virtually every specialty—cardiology, orthopedics, surgery, emergency medicine, neurology, oncology—with advanced capabilities in critical care as a Level I Trauma Center; in neurological care as a JCAHO certified Primary Stroke Center; in cardiac care as the region’s only accredited Chest Pain Center; in obstetrics as the leading BirthPlace and only high-risk pregnancy center in southwest Michigan, and in pediatrics as one of only four children's hospitals in the state. The hospital is the recipient of the 2005 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest presidential honor for quality and organizational performance excellence, and was named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals for 2005 by Solucient. Bronson Healthcare Group is one of Kalamazoo’s largest employers. For four consecutive years, it has been ranked by Working Mother magazine and for three straight years by FORTUNE as one of the nation’s 100 best companies to work for. With a workforce of more than 4,100, Bronson makes a significant contribution to the local economy. Annually, Bronson provides more than $48 million in community benefits through outreach and charitable care for the un- and under-insured. Bronson also serves the largest percentage of Medicaid patients of any Michigan hospital outside of the Detroit area. 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 nearly 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 jointcommission.org. ###
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