Gold Seal for St. John’s Episcopal stroke center

For providing safe and quality patient care, the primary stroke center at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway received the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission, a U.S.-based nonprofit that accredits more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs nationwide.

The newest recognition is a step up from the previous silver award the hospital received.

“Achieving certification demonstrates our commitment to a higher standard of care, and best practices that will improve patient outcomes,” Karen Paige, chief quality officer and vice president for St. John’s stated in a news release.    

Under going what officials called “a rigorous, onsite review,” a Joint Commission team evaluated compliance with standards in several areas. The standards, which are based on nationally accepted guidelines, are created in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. 

“We commend St. John’s Episcopal Hospital for its commitment to advance safety and quality for all patients,” Deborah Ryan, the executive vice president for accreditation and certifications operations for the Joint Commission, said in the release. Ryan is a registered nurse.