Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Earns Highest Levels of Certification for Stroke from Two National Quality Organizations

The Joint Commission and American Heart Association Recognize Excellence of Care and Commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement

(New Brunswick, NJ) - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has earned recognition for clinical excellence and its commitment to continuous quality improvement in stroke care from the Joint Commission and American Heart Association.

RWJUH recently earned The Joint Commission's (TJC) Gold Seal of Approval^® for Advanced Certification in Comprehensive Stroke Center for the sixth consecutive time by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization's commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

The RWJUH Stroke program underwent a rigorous, two-day onsite survey in June, where a team from TJC evaluated compliance with national standards, clinical guidelines and outcomes of care for stroke. The visit spanned several areas including the Emergency Department, Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Neurocritical Care Unit, Neurology Intermediate Care Unit and Neurology floor. The Joint Commission's standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

In addition, RWJUH's Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center has earned the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold

Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Advanced Therapy with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death. The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs help reduce barriers to prompt treatment for vascular events. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines program, RWJUH applied for the award recognitions by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care for patients.

"Earning this prestigious re-accreditation for a sixth consecutive time, is a testament to the strong culture of teamwork across the many disciplines at RWJUH that are required to provide exceptional stroke care," said Igor Rybinnik, MD, a Senior Vascular Neurologist with RWJUH's Comprehensive Stroke Center and Associate Professor of Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS). "It takes a true collaborative effort among neurology, neurosurgery, emergency care, emergency medical services, critical care, nursing, radiology, pharmacy, laboratory, physical rehabilitation, and social work to effectively treat these potentially life-threatening and debilitating medical events and return patients to the active, healthy lifestyles they enjoyed before."

"We are proud that our Stroke Team has maintained this prestigious certification since 2013," adds Deviyani Mehta, MD, a Senior Vascular Neurologist with RWJUH's Comprehensive Stroke Center and Associate Professor of Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS). " A TJC Reviewer remarked that our Center provides, 'World class care from a world class team,' and patients and their families can be assured that they have access to highly skilled clinicians, innovative technology and advanced clinical trials that help us deliver the best possible outcomes."

The Comprehensive Stroke Center at RWJUH provides patients with rapid diagnosis and treatment, specialized inpatient care, and access to clinical research through our relationship with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. RWJUH received its first Advanced Certification in Comprehensive Stroke Center in 2013 from TJC. The 2024 certification marks the programs sixth consecutive re-certification and underscores the institution's commitment to serve its communities with the highest levels of life-saving care.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) New Brunswick, an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 628-bed academic medical center that is New Jersey's largest academic

medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. RWJUH is the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a nationally-ranked 2023-24 Best Children's Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and women's health. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH's New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness. Learn more at www.rwjbh.org/newbrunswick or www.bmsch.org

RWJUH has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Recognition for Nursing Excellence and being named to Newsweek's 2023 list of Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers. The RWJUH Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center has been recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association as meeting The Joint Commission's standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Advanced Certification. RWJUH has also earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification for Spine Surgery; The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Bariatric Services; and The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement services. The Joint Commission also awarded RWJUH a Gold Seal Certification as well as an Advanced Certification in Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation.

Contact: Peter Haigney
RWJUH Public Relations
(732) 937-8568