Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the Middle East[1]. As part of establishing a coordinated system of care for stroke in the region, the Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai, is the first hospital in the United Arab Emirates to be certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the American Stroke Association® and the Middle East and North Africa Stroke Organization (MENASO) joint certification program.
Launched in the region July of 2020, certifications from American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, the world's leading force for longer, healthier lives for all, and MENASO provide recognition to hospitals that have the necessary state-of-the-art equipment, infrastructure, staff and training to quickly diagnose and best treat patients with the most complex strokes.
"Science-based assessment, diagnosis and treatment of stroke is key to improving outcomes for stroke patients – both saving lives and reducing disability," said Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M.D., MS, FAHA, FAAN, past-president of the American Heart Association, professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University New York and attending neurologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "Certifying hospitals such as the Mediclinic City Hospital creates the opportunity for a larger system of care – where multiple hospitals and emergency services organizations can work together to quickly and appropriately treat stroke patients in the region."
Comprehensive Stroke Centers must document rigorous standards and requirements, including advanced imaging and treatment capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, participation in research and staff and physicians with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients. The ASA and MENASO surveyors review the documentations to determine if a hospital met or exceeded all required standards.
"We congratulate Mediclinic City Hospital and its health care providers, staff and administration as the recipients of the first Comprehensive Stroke Center certification in Dubai," says Suhail Al Rukn, MD, president of MENASO. "Comprehensive Stroke Centers offer a high level of care for patients with the most severe and challenging types of strokes and cerebrovascular disease. We look forward to certifying other facilities of this caliber in the near future."
There are currently two certification classifications available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabi and United Arab Emirates. In addition to the Comprehensive Stroke Center certification, a Primary Stroke Center certification is also available. Facilities seeking Primary Stroke Center certification must demonstrate the ability to care for patients with acute ischemic stroke, transfer protocols to a Comprehensive Stroke Center, stroke-specific educational requirements for all disciplines caring for stroke patients, data collection and a robust stroke quality improvement initiative. More about these certifications can be found at www.heart.org/en/professional/quality-improvement/international/international-stroke-center-certification.
