Sharp Memorial Hospital Receives Stroke Center Certification

San Diego, Calif. — Sharp Memorial Hospital is the latest hospital in San Diego to receive stroke center certification from The Joint Commission, a national health care regulatory agency. In May 2009, The Joint Commission notified Sharp Memorial of the prestigious certification, which signifies excellence in the care of stroke patients.

“This certification confirms Sharp Memorial’s commitment to high quality care,” said Tim Smith, CEO of Sharp Memorial. “Our multidisciplinary care provides good patient outcomes and gives them a better chance of resuming their normal life.”

The hospital initially formed its stroke program in 1995, and by 2005 the program included stroke neurologists, a stroke specialist nurse practitioner, specially trained stroke nurses, rehabilitation, lab, pharmacy and pastoral care. The center cares for approximately 360 stroke patients a year with the goal of returning them to their original level of daily function or as close to it as possible, and decrease risk of another stroke.

“For stroke patients, the right care at the right time can make all the difference in their quality of life moving forward,” said Dawn Matherne, stroke nurse practitioner at Sharp Memorial. “Our stroke team operates on a 24/7 basis and we follow stroke patients from the emergency room to rehabilitation with clinically proven therapies along every step in the process.”

Sharp Memorial joins Sharp Grossmont Hospital as a Joint Commission-certified stroke center. Each year, Sharp Memorial will need to demonstrate its commitment to the national quality standards of stroke care to maintain its certification.

Sharp Memorial Hospital
With a tradition of excellence since 1955, Sharp Memorial Hospital is recognized internationally for outstanding programs in emergency and trauma services, surgery, cardiac and vascular care, cancer treatment, rehabilitation, orthopaedic and neurological services, women’s health, weight loss surgery, multi-organ transplantation and home care.

A Magnet-designated facility for nursing excellence, Sharp Memorial recently completed an expansion to become San Diego’s first hospital with all private patient rooms. The new 315,000-square-foot, 334-bed structure, named the Stephen Birch Healthcare Center, is also the first hospital in San Diego to open since 1993. 

Sharp Memorial sits on the Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, which is also home to Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women, Sharp Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Center, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital and Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion. Superior care is also provided at Sharp Vista Pacifica Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospital in Linda Vista. More than 1,000 physicians on the medical staff and 3,800 employees support these entities. 

Sharp Memorial is part of Sharp HealthCare, the region’s largest health care provider and a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient.  To learn more about Sharp Memorial, visit www.sharp.com/memorial or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277).