MURFREESBORO, TN - Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for its Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Certification.
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site review. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management, supporting self-management, and delivering and facilitating clinical care. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts, and patients. The reviewers also conducted on-site observations and interviews.
“The Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, R.N., executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “We commend Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford for using The Joint Commission’s certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher-quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”
“Congratulations to Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford for this outstanding achievement,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”
“We celebrate our Stroke Team for their continued commitment to providing a detailed action plan that meets Joint Commission standards and, most importantly, improves the way we care for our patients,” said Gordon Ferguson, president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital.
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital has operated an Advanced Primary Stroke Center since 2007. To achieve this higher level of certification, Ascension enhanced its stroke care by adding thrombectomy services in 2022. This involved significant efforts, including process development, staff education, drills and ongoing improvement. Patients who were previously transferred to Nashville now receive care in Rutherford County.
“To qualify for thrombectomy certification, we needed both volume and quality of care,” said Sylvia McLaughlin, Stroke Program Coordinator at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital. “Our team’s tireless work has brought this project full circle to better serve our community.”
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission’s website.
About Ascension Saint Thomas - Ascension Saint Thomas operates 13 hospitals in Tennessee and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities that cover a 45-county area and provided more than $180 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2022. Across the state, Ascension Saint Thomas and its affiliates employ more than 10,700 associates. The health system has a 125-year history in Tennessee. Ascension is a faith-based health care organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable, through its more than 2,600 sites of care in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
