OCEANSIDE, Calif., Oct 2019 – Tri-CityMedical Center announced today it has earned Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) certification from The Joint Commission, in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), making it the first hospital in NorthCounty to earn the certification. Tri-City Medical Center earned the TSC certification by meeting rigorous standards for performing mechanical endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a specialized surgical procedure that saves lives by removing blood clots from the brain during an ischemic stroke. Tri-City Medical Center becomes just the 36th hospital nationwide to earn this elite certification.
To be eligible for the certification, the hospital was required to meet strict criteria that include performing EVT on a minimum of 15 patients per year and the capability to perform EVT around the clock, seven days a week. By exceeding these criteria, The Joint Commission has certified Tri-City Medical Center’s ability to rapidly treat stroke patients through EVT.
“I’m proud of our interventional radiologists and all of our Stroke Care Center team for earning this advanced certification that, once again, recognizes Tri-Cityfor the elite stroke care we provide to our community,” said Tri-City Medical Center CEO Steve Dietlin.
“This is another step forward in advancing the care we provide to the community and, most importantly, helps us continue to save lives.”
In addition to this certification, Tri-City Medical Center continues to invest in its stroke care and recently launched an artificial intelligence program to identify and treat blood clots more quickly. The program, developed by Viz.ai, integrates with the computerized tomography (CT) scanner to recognize a blood clot and alert the medical team before the patient is even off the exam table so that patients receive life-saving treatments faster.
Tri-City Medical Center’s stroke care has been continuously recognized for excellence. It’s been honored with awards and earned certifications including the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers in 2007, the Get With the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award and the Target: Stroke Honor Roll for rapid stroke care. Tri-City Medical Center was one of the sites chosen for the landmark National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke rt PA Acute Stroke Trial, which established current rtPA stroke care best practices.
Tri-City Medical Center treats approximately 525-550 strokes annually and its interventional radiology team was noted by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2018for achieving treatment rates that were among the top three best in the country.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and 87 percent of strokes are caused by a clot that cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain. Thesetypes of strokes are largely treatable if the clot is identified and treated in time.
For more, visit tricitymed.org/medical-services/stroke-care-center.
About Tri-City Medical Center
Tri-City Medical Center has served its community for over 50 years and is a full service, acute-care hospital in Oceanside, CA with over 500 physicians practicing in 60 specialties. Tri-City Medical Center is licensed for 386 bedsand maintains a census of 150 to 200 daily. Its Gold Seal of Approval® from the Joint Commission recognizes its commitment to safe and effective patient care for the residents of the community it serves. It operates the only Level III Neonatal Intensive CareUnit (NICU) in North County as well as the Orthopedic & Spine Institute, a Cardiovascular Health Institute and the Tri-City Wellness & Fitness Center in Carlsbad, Calif. It also specializes in robotic surgery, cancer, women’s health, and emergency care. Formore information about Tri-City Medical Center and Tri-City Healthcare District, please visit www.tricitymed.org.
