Kaweah Health Receives Advanced Primary Stroke Center Accreditation

Kaweah Health has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^® for Advanced Primary Stroke Center Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

Kaweah Health underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review in March. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with advanced primary stroke center standards spanning several areas including response time and employees’ knowledge of the signs of stroke.

“We work hard, not just making sure every employee at Kaweah Health knows the signs of stroke, but also educating the community,” said Cheryl Smit, Kaweah Health stroke program manager. “Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke may save someone's life —maybe even yours.”

An easy way to check for signs of a stroke is to remember to BE FAST:

B = BALANCE Is there a sudden loss of balance?

E = EYES Is there a sudden change in vision?

F = FACE Is there sudden facial droop?

A = ARM Is there sudden arm or leg weakness?

S = SPEECH Is there sudden speech difficulty?

T = TIME Call 9-1-1 at any sign of stroke!

Kaweah Health has received this Gold Seal of Approval since 2018.

The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts, and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess, and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“As a healthcare accreditor, The Joint Commission works with healthcare organizations across care settings to inspire safer and higher quality of care that is more equitable and compassionate,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “Through collaborating on innovative solutions and evidence-based resources and tools, The Joint Commission helps drive improvement while maintaining accountability through our leading survey methods and standards. We commend Kaweah Health for its commitment to advance safety, quality, equity, and compassion for all patients.”

For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.