Primary Stroke Center (PSC)

Primary Stroke Center Certification recognizes hospitals that meet standards to support better outcomes for stroke care. Standards include:

  • A dedicated stroke-focused program
  • Staffing by qualified medical professionals trained in stroke care
  • Individualized care to meet stroke patients’ needs
  • Patient involvement in their hospital care
  • Coordination of post-discharge patient self-care based
  • Streamlined flow of patient information while protecting patient rights, security and privacy
  • Collection of the hospital’s stroke-treatment performance data
  • Hospital team performance data
  • Use of data to assess and continually improve quality of care for stroke patients

Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC)

Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes hospitals that meet standards to treat the most complex stroke cases. Standards include all components of a Primary Stroke Center plus:

  • Availability of advanced imaging techniques, including MRI/MRA, CTA, DSA and TCD
  • Availability of personnel trained in vascular neurology, neurosurgery and endovascular procedures
  • 24/7 availability of personnel, imaging, operating room and endovascular facilities
  • ICU/neuroscience ICU facilities and capabilities
  • Experience and expertise treating patients with large ischemic strokes, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage