The Barrow, Braselton and Gainesville campuses of Northeast Georgia Medical Center were recently certified as Primary Stroke Centers by DNV GL Healthcare.
NGMC Gainesville earned recertification as a Primary Stroke Center, while NGMC Barrow and Braselton were certified for the first time. Prior to being certified as Primary Stroke Centers, the Barrow and Braselton campuses were designated Remote Treatment Stroke Centers by the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Primary Stroke Center certification means that a hospital can provide treatment and therapy to a broad range of stroke conditions and admit patients to a designated stroke unit specifically assigned for stroke care. Primary Stroke Centers also act as a resource center for other facilities in the region, serving as a main transfer site for stabilized stroke patients.
“Time is of the essence when it comes to stroke,” Tracie Withington, Stroke Program Coordinator at NGMC Braselton, said in a statement Wednesday. “We’ve worked diligently to ensure that we provide stroke care in a timely manner and now, being recognized as a Primary Stroke Center, patients can trust that even more.”
In addition to being recertified as a Primary Stroke Center, the Gainesville campus recently completed construction on a new, state-of-the-art Neurointerventional Lab. This lab will further stroke treatment by providing the ability to perform mechanical thrombectomies.
“Our health system continues to prove that it is dedicated to ensuring stroke patients in our region are offered the best care close to home,” NGMC Neurointerventional Surgery Medical Director Dr. Sung Lee said in a statement Wednesday. “With three of our hospital campuses now certified as Primary Stroke Centers, patients can rest assured that if they arrive with stroke symptoms, they will receive quick care from a skilled and passionate team."
