Bon Secours St. Francis Health System Awarded Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers

GREENVILLE, SC – Bon Secours St. Francis Health System announced that it has 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 Joint Commission (TJC) experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.

“Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is pleased to receive advanced certification from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association,” said Saria Saccocio, MD, chief medical officer at Bon Secours St. Francis Health System. “The certification provides us with the opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we provide as well as to continually strive to advance our care even further.”

“Bon Secours St. Francis Health System has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of stroke patients through its Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers,” said Michele Sacco, MS, interim executive director, Certification Programs. “We commend Bon Secours St. Francis Health System for becoming a leader in stroke care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for stroke patients in its community.”

Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

“We congratulate Bon Secours St. Francis Health System for achieving this designation,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines Bon Secours St. Francis has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke.”

Established in 2003, the Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to TJC-accredited acute care hospitals. For more information on this certification or Bon Secours St. Francis Health system, please visit www.stfrancishealth.org.