AHN Canonsburg Hospital Named a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission

CANONSBURG, Pa.- Allegheny Health Network's (AHN) Canonsburg Hospital has achieved certification as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. The certification means that AHN Canonsburg is now a referral center uniquely capable of caring for complex stroke patients.

AHN Canonsburg received The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Primary Stroke Certification following a voluntary and rigorous onsite review of the hospital's compliance with stroke-related care standards and its capabilities for delivering lifesaving stroke treatments that can minimize brain injury and improve patient outcomes.

The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

"We're extremely proud of our remarkable clinician teams at this hospital who work tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients," said Chong Park, MD, president of AHN Canonsburg. "To that end, we've carefully designed our stroke program to facilitate expeditious, highly effective treatments - from the moment a patient experiencing a possible stroke arrives, our dedicated care teams are prepared to deliver rapid interventions that minimize injury and support an optimal recovery."

AHN Canonsburg Hospital is the sixth AHN hospital to earn Joint Commission-certification as a Primary Stroke Center, joining AHN Wexford, Allegheny Valley, Forbes, Jefferson and West Penn hospitals in the Pittsburgh area and AHN Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie. For the most complicated of stroke cases, AHN Allegheny General Hospital's Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center serves as the network's stroke care hub.

Stroke is a serious medical emergency in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted due to a blocked brain vessel (ischemic stroke) or a burst blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). It is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability, affecting nearly 800,000 people annually.

Outcomes from stroke depend in large part on how and when the patient is treated after the event occurs, with significantly greater chances of survival when emergency treatment to restore blood flow to the brain begins quickly.

Common symptoms of stroke include a drooping face and arm weakness, particularly on one side of the body, along with slurred speech and difficulty seeing. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes are leading causes of stroke.

Canonsburg Hospital's acute, multidisciplinary stroke team, which works in tandem with the network's leading Neuroscience Institute, is comprised of physical, occupational and speech therapists, case managers/social workers, stroke navigators, neurologists, emergency medicine physicians and a dedicated stroke-certified nursing staff.

Located in North Strabane Twp. in Washington County, AHN Canonsburg is a 104-bed full service hospital employing more than 400 people. The facility, which just celebrated its 120^th birthday, has a legacy of providing exceptional care to area residents, and it currently offers a comprehensive portfolio of services including complex cardiovascular care, cardiac rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, general surgery, critical care and medicine, inpatient rehabilitation and emergency care.

Just last year, AHN Canonsburg was recognized by the American Heart and American Stroke Associations in its annual Get with the Guidelines awards for excellence in heart failure and stroke care.

To learn more about AHN stroke care and how to reduce your risk of stroke, visit https://www.ahn.org/stroke.

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