Lehigh Valley Hospital's (LVH) Comprehensive Stroke Center has been re-certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, joining an elite group of healthcare providers focused on highly-specialized stroke care.

In November 2012, LVH was the first hospital in Pennsylvania to receive the Gold Seal and the Heart-Check Mark, signifying the highest standard of care for stroke patients according to comprehensive stroke certification guidelines approved by The Joint Commission (TJC) in collaboration with the American Heart Association-American Stroke Association. Ths certification recognizes the significant resources in staff and advanced training that comprehensive stroke centers must have to treat complex stroke patients.

Lehigh Valley Hospital has more than 25 percent of patients being transferred in from other health facilities because of its advanced care capabilities.

On Aug. 20, TJC reviewers completed a two-day recertification survey with no requirements for improvement.

"It's a true feeling of accomplishment when the TJC presents a survey with no improvement recommendations," said stroke neurologist Yevgeniy Isayev, MD, director of the Lehigh Valley Hospital Stroke Center.

LVH had been certified as a Primary Stroke Center since 2004. Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg has been certified as a Primary Stroke Center since 2006.

To attain comprehensive stroke center status, LVH had to meet the following additional criteria:

Dedicated neuro-intensive care unit beds for complex stroke patients;

24-7 advanced neurological imaging capabilities;

Annual volume requirements for:

Patients with a diagnosis of subarachnoid (referring to the location within the brain) hemorrhage;

Endovascular coiling or surgical clipping procedures for treating aneurysm;

IV tPA (a stroke therapy for adults arriving within three hours of incidence) administration to eligible patients;

Coordination of post hospital care for patients;

Use of a peer review process to evaluate and monitor the care provided to patients with ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage;

Participate in stroke research

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