Doctors Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Comprehensive Stroke Certification, demonstrating the hospital’s continuous compliance with performance standards.

There are 194 Comprehensive Stroke Centers around the country and only 26 in California. Doctors Medical Center is the only center in the Central Valley, and the only one from Sacramento to the Bay Area and down to Southern California.

“The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects our commitment to providing safe and quality patient care, and is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our neuro physicians, nurses and clinical team,” said Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center. “We are so proud of our team for achieving this tremendous accomplishment.”

Doctors Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review earlier this year. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management as well as delivering and facilitating clinical care to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“The Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, Chief Operating Officer of Accreditation and Certification Operations, and Chief Nursing Executive of The Joint Commission. “We commend Doctors Medical Center for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for stroke patients.”

“We congratulate Doctors Medical Center for this outstanding achievement,” said Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”