Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital Receives Primary Stroke Certification

ZEELAND, Mich., October 11, 2021 – Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital’s has received Primary Stroke Certification from The Joint Commission. This announcement followed rigorous evaluation, including a July 30 on-site survey at the hospital.

The Primary Stroke Certification acknowledges that Zeeland Community Hospital has the resources and processes to care for acute stroke patients with goals to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. Certification also establishes Zeeland Community Hospital has a consistent approach to care using best-practice guidelines, demonstrates a commitment to a higher standard of clinical service, and has a framework to improve patient outcomes.

“When a patient experiencing stroke symptoms comes to our emergency department, they can expect to receive the highest level of stroke treatment and care,” shared Annica Waalkes, MD, hospitalist and medical director for stroke, Zeeland Community Hospital. “Our stroke team is available 24/7 to address their needs during a stroke or cardiovascular event and we are pleased that we secured The Joint Commission’s confidence in our exceptional processes and outcomes for these patients.”

Zeeland Community Hospital also participates in the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s “Get With The Guidelines,” a hospital program aimed at improving acute stroke treatment and prevention of stroke and cardiovascular events. The guidelines focus on quick diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients through evidence-based medicine and comparative data for quality improvement.

Spectrum Health is dedicated to fostering better outcomes for stroke patients and offers a full range of care. Spectrum Health is a leading provider of comprehensive stroke treatment and one of the largest specialized neurovascular teams of its kind in Michigan. The Grand Rapids-based team consists of fellowship-trained, board-certified vascular neurologists and vascular neurosurgeons as well as neurointerventional, neurocritical care, and neurorehabilitation specialists with the expertise to provide the highest level of medical, surgical and rehabilitation care for stroke patients.

Our regional community hospital emergency departments, including Zeeland Community Hospital, are directly connected to the experts at the Joint Commission-accredited Butterworth and Blodgett hospitals in Grand Rapids. Zeeland Community Hospital is the first Spectrum Health regional hospital to receive Primary Stroke Certification, however, all other regional hospitals are actively pursuing the certification by the end of 2022.

“I am very proud of the work that our team has accomplished – from the ER and diagnostics to critical care and our nursing units, all departments have helped provide exemplary care to our stroke patients in order to assist us in achieving the goal of The Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification,” said Linda Schaltz, chief nursing officer, Zeeland Community Hospital.

All Spectrum Health hospitals provide specialized stroke care and offer rehabilitation therapy services and recovery support.

Learn more about Spectrum Health’s stroke program at spectrumhealth.org/stroke.

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

Contact:
Alexis Bolo Neal
Senior Communications Specialist
Email: alexis.boloneal@corewellhealth.org