We’re Here for You! Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Pay My Bill
  • Patient Portal
  • Careers
  • Philanthropy Office
  • Health Professionals
  • Medical Education
Central Maine Healthcare

Central Maine Healthcare

Changing the Face of Healthcare in Maine

  • Providers & Locations
        • Providers

          • Find A Provider
        • Locations

          • Central Maine Medical Center
          • Bridgton Hospital
          • Rumford Hospital
          • Topsham Care Center
          • Maine Urgent Care
          • Find a Practice
  • Services
        • Services

          • Audiology
          • Bariatric Surgery
          • Behavioral Health
          • Breast Health
          • Cancer Care
          • Diabetes & Endocrinology Care
          • Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)
          • Emergency Care
          • Gastroenterology
          • Heart & Vascular Care
          • Imaging Services
          • Integrative Medicine
          • Lab Services
          • Long-Term Care
          • Lung Screening
          • Maternity Services
          • Neurosciences
          • Nutrition Services
          • Occupational Health
          • Orthopaedic Care
          • Palliative Care
          • Pediatrics
          • Pharmacy
          • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
          • Primary Care
          • Pulmonary Care
          • Rehabilitation & Therapy
          • Rheumatology
          • Sleep Medicine
          • Surgical Services
          • Telehealth Services
          • Topsham Care Center
          • Trauma Center
          • Urgent Care
          • Urology
          • Women’s Health
          • Wound Care
  • Patients and Visitors
        • Patients & Visitors

          • Advanced Care Planning
          • Billing & Financial Information
          • Price Transparency
          • Be Safe Speak Up
          • Health Library
          • myHealthlink Patient Portal
          • Notary Public
          • Patient Relations
          • Spiritual Support
          • Student Nurses
          • Tobacco and Smoke Free Campuses
          • Your Rights and Responsibilities
          • Visitor Guidelines
          • Request Medical Records
        • Living Well

          • Classes and Events
  • About Us
        • About Us

          • About Central Maine Healthcare
          • Accreditations and Certifications
          • Board of Directors
          • CMH Alert – COVID-19
          • CMH News
          • CMH Privacy Policy
          • Community Benefits
          • Contact CMH
          • Interpreter Services & Assistive Devices
          • Leadership Team
          • Mission, Vision & Values
          • Non-Discrimination Notice
          • Social Media Policy for Site Visitors
          • Topsham Ambulatory Surgery Center
          • Vendor Relations
          • Quality & Safety
          • Sponsorship Request
        • Ways to Give

          • Support Central Maine Healthcare
          • Annual Giving
          • Planned Giving
          • Volunteer Services
          • Contact the Philanthropy Office

CMMC Honored for High-Quality Stroke Care – Recognized as leading program in the nation

Published on September 19, 2018

Central Maine Medical Center has been recognized for providing advanced primary stroke care, earning certification from the Joint Commission after a rigorous inspection last month. 

The accreditation, which evaluates quality and safety in the hospital’s delivery of critical services and patient care, recognizes CMMC’s continuous commitment to improvement in delivering the highest standard of care.

Reviewers from the Joint Commission—the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body—noted points of excellence in CMMC care that included provider leadership and multidisciplinary efforts across the stroke care team. The hospital had among the top positive patient outcomes in the country, and the reviewers called CMMC’s stroke care team “among the leading programs in the nation.”

“This certification is a huge recognition of our spectacular stroke team, and a vote of confidence in the high quality of care and safety that Central Maine Medical Center offers all of our patients,” said Dr. David Tupponce, President of the hospital and Executive Vice President of Central Maine Healthcare. “Stroke is a serious problem, and we know that the right care immediately following signs of stroke, and attentive follow-up, can make all the difference. We’re proud that our providers and entire care team are making that difference every day.”

There are nearly 7 million stroke survivors in the United States, where stroke is the fifth leading cause of death. Central Maine Medical Center treats more than 200 stroke cases annually. 

“We are continually working to improve and expand our high-quality care,” said Dr. Hunter Sweet, DO. “We’re thrilled with this honor confirming our commitment to our patients. Recently, a patient we saw with early signs of stroke had a complete recovery after being treated with a clot-busting agent. That’s how we measure success.”

Most stroke patients come into the hospital through the emergency room, where CMMC providers can quickly test and treat the condition. CMMC recently named a new Medical Director for Emergency Care. Dr. Michael Blake, who has been an emergency physician with CMMC for eight years, is nationally board certified in emergency medicine and has a deep background in public health issues.

Successful patient outcomes often require teamwork and partnership, and stroke care is no different. A patient in Bridgton Hospital’s emergency department was recently under observation for trans-ischemic attack, an early sign of stroke. When his condition worsened, the Bridgton Hospital team, in consultation with Central Maine Healthcare’s partner Massachusetts General Hospital, administered clot-busting drugs in under 10 minutes, stabilizing the patient, who recovered at Central Maine Medical Center under the stroke team’s care. 

“That episode of stroke could have been deadly, but quick action and partnership changed the course,” Tupponce said.

The federal Centers for Disease Control says that patients who are seen and treated quickly have better chances at positive outcomes. For more information about stroke, go here.

The Joint Commission has accredited hospitals for more than 60 years and currently, more 4,000 hospitals nationwide maintain Joint Commission accreditation.  CMMC’s accreditation is an initial certification, and the hospital will have a recertification inspection every two years going forward.

 

Primary Sidebar

Central Maine Healthcare Logo

About Our Health System

  • Central Maine Medical Center
  • Bridgton Hospital
  • Rumford Hospital
  • Topsham Care Center
  • Physician Practices

I Want To…

  • Find A Provider
  • Find a Location
  • Find a Job
  • Pay My Bill
  • Make a Gift
  • Find a Class or Event
  • Contact CMH
  • CMH News

For Our Community

  • CMH Privacy Policy
  • Social Media Policy for Site Visitors
  • Interpreter Services & Assistive Devices
  • Non-Discrimination Notice
  • Your Rights & Responsibilities

For Healthcare Professionals

  • Join Our Team
  • Graduate Medical Education

For Employees

  • Employee Portal
  • Employee Remote Access