Stroke Program Renews Accreditation from The Joint Commission
Vista Medical Center East has successfully retained its Gold Seal of Approval™ as a
Primary Stroke Center following a thorough survey by The Joint Commission.
The survey was completed in December 2011 with the official accreditation recently received by Vista. This re-accreditation comes two years after Vista was named as the first hospital in Northern Lake County, Illinois, to earn this distinction from The Joint Commission.
The Gold Seal affirms Vista’s efforts to continuously improve and expand its Stroke program – from the time patients arrive in any of Vista’s three Emergency Rooms in Lake County through their complete inpatient stay. In addition, the accreditation recognizes Vista’s surgical and post-operative procedures along with inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. Access to a neurologist is now easier at Vista with the addition of a full-time, employed neurologist, Antao Du, M.D., who sees patients at multiple Vista locations.
Patient education and awareness are important aspects of Vista’s Stroke program. Vista is a local sponsor of a statewide organization called SSEEO (Stroke Survivors Empowering Each Other), and partners with SSEEO to hold monthly meetings for stroke survivors. Vista also has recently launched a support group for people with Parkinson’s Disease.
Vista Retains 3-Year Cancer Accreditation with Six Key Commendations
Vista Health System has been granted a three-year Accreditation with Commendation for its Cancer Program from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. This accreditation represents Vista’s ongoing commitment to providing a premier comprehensive oncology program with an outstanding team of physicians, nurses and clinical staff. It also signifies the strides that Vista has made in oncology in recent years to build a program that is on par with the finest in the Chicago area.
The accreditation was received following an on-site evaluation in late 2011 by a physician surveyor. Vista demonstrated a Commendation level of compliance with six key standards that represent the scope of Vista’s Cancer Program. The Commendation levels were cited for: outcome analysis, cancer data management, education for cancer registry, quality improvements, College of American Pathologists guidelines, and community outreach for prevention and early detection.
Vista’s CHF Program Earns Gold Seal
The Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) program at Vista Medical Center East is now fully accredited after recently receiving a Gold Seal of Approval™ from the Joint Commission. The accreditation recognizes Vista’s commitment to provide optimal, holistic care to adult patients who are diagnosed with acute or chronic heart failure.
With heart failure being one of the highest admission categories at Vista Medical Center East, the CHF program was created to educate patients on better self management at home and to optimize their quality of life. Patients learn more about CHF, what causes it, and what they can do at home to control it. Key topics include: blood pressure control, daily weight measurements; assessments of symptoms; fluid control; low sodium/cholesterol diet; activity; medications; smoking cessation, and more.
A key emphasis is placed on when patients should call their doctor so they don’t wait for symptoms to worsen and require readmission. Vista’s CHF program follows guidelines set by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association for heart failure. Patients receive an educational CHF booklet created by Vista, along with a discharge summary to reinforce the importance of seeing their physician and following their prescribed medications.