FLORENCE, SC – Carolinas Hospital System Receives Stroke Center Accreditation Carolinas Hospital System has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval for stroke care by The Joint Commission. The advanced certification, as a Primary Stroke Center from The Joint Commission, recognizes the hospital’s commitment to the highest standards in the country for stroke care. “This certification is a national recognition of Carolinas Hospital System’s excellence in caring
for strokes,” said Gary Malaer, CEO. Stroke is the nation’s fifth leading cause of death. Each year, about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke – one every 40 seconds.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States. Stroke in South Carolina, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control:
Stroke was the fifth leading cause of death in South Carolina, resulting in 2600 deaths in 2015.
According to the most recent national data available (2014) South Carolina had the seventh highest stroke death rate in the nation.
African Americans are 50 percent more likely to die from stoke than Caucasians in South Carolina.
“At Carolinas Hospital System, patients can be assured of certain standards regarding diagnosis, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, with the ultimate goal of reducing the time between stroke onset and treatment,” says Elijah Owens, M.D., Medical Director of the Stroke Center at Carolinas Hospital System. “Part of what distinguishes our Primary Stroke Center is our advanced diagnostic capabilities and treatments for routine brain attacks as well as complex
stroke cases.”
To learn more about Carolinas Hospital System’s Stroke Center and early identification, visit CarolinasHospital.com/Stroke
