Prisma Health Richland Hospital has earned the Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers

Hospital is the only one in Midlands and one of three in South Carolina with certification

Prisma Health Richland Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for stroke centers, the Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers.

With this certification, Prisma Health Richland Hospital joins an elite group of health care organizations focused on highly specialized stroke care. To be eligible, hospitals must demonstrate compliance with stroke-related standards as a Primary Stroke Center and meet additional requirements, including those related to advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and providing staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.

Prisma Health Richland Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review in November 2018, when Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements.

“By achieving this advanced certification, our hospital has thoroughly demonstrated the greatest level of commitment to the care of our patients with a complex stroke condition,” said Jay Hamm, chief operating officer, Prisma Health Richland Hospital. “We want to congratulate our Stroke Center team for successfully undertaking this challenge and elevating the standard of its care for the Midlands community.”

Anil Yallapragada, MD, medical director of the Prisma Health Richland Hospital Stroke Center, added, “The certification reflects a culmination of a culture of excellence that has taken years to develop with many highly dedicated team members.”

Yallapragada added, “Stroke centers and regional networks are undergoing rapid evolution as newer strategies and opportunities for prevention and treatment of stroke are emerging. This is especially true and noticeable in South Carolina where incidence of stroke is high and the need is great. We are proud to not only deliver and participate in this evolution but also to serve on the front lines of the movement by continuing to innovate and train the next generation of leaders in stroke medicine.”

Established in 2012, Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. The certification was derived from the Brain Attack Coalition’s “Recommendations for Comprehensive Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2005), “Metrics for Measuring Quality of Care in Comprehensive Stroke Centers” (Stroke, 2011) and recommendations from a multidisciplinary advisory panel of experts in complex stroke care.

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

The stroke team at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, often referred to as the "Brain Attack Team.” is prepared to care for victims of stroke and other abnormal vascularities of the brain 24/7. The team are experts in treating all types of strokes and related brain conditions, including:

• Ischemic stroke – reduced blood flow due to a blood clot
• Hemorrhagic stroke - reduced blood supply due to a blood vessel bursting
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA) - "mini-stroke"
• Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)

For more information, visit the Prisma Health Richland Hospital Comprehensive Stroke Center website or call 803-434-2471.