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GALESBURG COTTAGE HOSPITAL RECERTIFIED AS A PRIMARY STROKE CENTER BY THE JOINT COMMISSION

(Galesburg, IL) - After undergoing an intensive on-site evaluation and demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for stroke care, Galesburg Cottage Hospital has The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for re-certification as a Primary Stroke Center.

“Recertification as the Primary Stroke Center in Galesburg is so important to all of our Knox County communities because strokes don’t affect just the ill or elderly – they can happen to anyone, at any time. Stroke is the third leading cause of death but 75 percent of strokes are preventable. When one strikes, minutes are crucial,” said Cassie Cirimotich, RN, BSN, and Chief Quality Officer at Galesburg Cottage Hospital.

About the recertification, James Flynn, Chief Executive Officer at Galesburg Cottage Hospital, said, “In achieving recertification as a Primary Stroke Center, Galesburg Cottage Hospital has proven that it has the ability to provide effective, timely care to stroke victims and can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients when minutes truly matter.”

Galesburg Cottage Hospital initially earned the certification in 2012. It is the only hospital in the Galesburg area to have earned such a certification for life-saving stroke care.

Nationwide, each year about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death. On average in the United States, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements and guidelines for stroke care. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

About Galesburg Cottage Hospital
Celebrating 125 years of serving Western Illinois, Galesburg Cottage Hospital is a 140-bed facility that provides complete inpatient, outpatient and emergency care with an award winning wound healing center complete with two hyperbaric healing chambers. Galesburg Cottage Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care as a Chest Pain Center, TJC Primary Stroke Center and its Emergency Department is approved for Pediatrics by the State of Illinois.