The Comprehensive Stroke Center at Via Christi St. Francis has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart/Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification. This is Via Christi Comprehensive Stroke Center’s fifth consecutive, two-year certification since 2016 from The Joint Commission (TJC), the nation’s preeminent independent standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare.
Via Christi is one of two hospitals in the state to earn the elite certification, which is TJC’s most rigorous and demanding certification for stroke centers.
To achieve this certification, the center underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review in May. A team of TJC reviewers conducted onsite observations, interviews and evaluated compliance with the Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center standards and requirements, including advanced imaging capabilities; 24/7 availability of specialized treatments; prevention, outreach education, research and rehabilitation services; and staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.
“Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “We commend the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Via Christi St. Francis for using The Joint Commission certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”
The center’s certification is backed by impressive clinical outcomes. In 2024, it treated 758 strokes, including 594 ischemic strokes (strokes caused by blood clots blocking a vessel leading to the brain) and 164 hemorrhagic strokes (strokes caused by bleeding inside or on the surface of the brain).
The team’s commitment to timely, effective care is reflected in key metrics:
- The time from a patient’s hospital arrival to receiving clot-busting medication averaged just 25 minutes — 38% faster than the national benchmark of 40 minutes.
- The center’s rate for bleeding complications after thrombectomy (clot removal surgery) was just 1.1% — 83% lower than the national benchmark of 6.6%.
Jim Walker, MD, Medical Director of Via Christi Comprehensive Stroke Center and Via Christi Neurocritical Care, explained the significance of the certification: “To achieve The Joint Commission’s Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification requires extensive experience and resources needed to treat even the most acute stroke cases seven days a week, 24 hours a day. This accreditation indicates we have that system of care, along with an integrated team that incorporates prevention and outreach education, research and rehabilitation services.”
In July 2025, The American Heart Association awarded the Via Christi Comprehensive Stroke Center with a Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. Also in July, Via Christi was recognized in Money magazine’s 2025 list of the best 75 hospitals in the U.S. for neurological care – the only hospital in Kansas to earn a spot in the national rankings.
