Leesburg Regional Medical Center announced that it has earned recertification and The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. This also includes the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Heart-Check mark. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.

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Leesburg Regional Medical Center has been accredited since 2011 and provides rapid treatment to more than 500 area residents who suffer a stroke annually.
"Stroke is a brain attack and we should think of it in the same way we think of a heart attack. You need to seek medical treatment quickly," said Don Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Central Florida Health--the not-for-profit parent company of Leesburg Regional Medical Center. "Being a certified advanced primary stroke center means we have trained staff and leading-edge technology in place to make an accurate diagnosis and provide our patients with the right care in a timely manner."

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Leesburg Regional Medical Center underwent a rigorous on-site review to achieve its recertification. An expert from The Joint Commission reviewed the hospital's compliance with stroke-related standards and requirements, including program management, the delivery of clinical care and performance improvement.
"We congratulate Leesburg Regional Medical Center for achieving this designation," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. "By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines, LRMC has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke."

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"We are pleased to be recertified by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association," continued Henderson. "Due to the hard work and dedication of our stroke care clinical team, including our physician partners, this designation provides us with an opportunity to highlight the exceptional stroke care we deliver as well as to continually strive to further advance the quality of our care."
Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.