<unk> s are medical centers having health professionals specially trained in emergency<unk>  care. They are considered preferred first responders in the diagnosis and treatment of<unk> s. Certifying authorities recognize four levels of certification, highest to lowest, as follow: *comprehensive<unk>  *thrombectomy-capable<unk>  *primary<unk>  *acute<unk> -ready hospital The<unk>  Certification Program was developed by The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American<unk>  Association (ASA). These organizations offer guidance for the development of state-level policy standards in<unk>  care, including the designation of qualified facilities. In order to be recognized as a<unk> , a medical center must meet national guidelines for specialized medical care as recommended by a certifying authority. A facility must either obtain certification by training or by being recognized by a certification or accreditation authority for its existing level of skilled care. Certifying authorities include DNV GL Healthcare; Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), now a division of Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC); or The Joint Commission (TJC). In some states a state health department or medical board may be the certifying authority. For example in New York, centers are designated by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). Pre-admission triage by Emergency Medical Service (EMS) technicians dictate the level of<unk>  to which a<unk>  patient will be routed; considerations include severity of the symptoms, evaluation of the level of medical care that may be needed, and the relative distance of various certified<unk> s in the vicinity of each medical event. Upon patient arrival, the qualified medical center should follow recommended protocols for<unk>  triage, developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American<unk>  Association (ASA). These include specified, time-sensitive medical care at exact intervals between ten minutes and one hour, starting at the time of arrival at the hospital's emergency department. Typically, medical interventions are timed using a stopwatch, while a qualified member of the<unk>  team announces each interval. Adherence to this critical one-hour time scale recognizes that speedy care creates a better chance of recovery. Nursing Management says, "Research has shown that early evaluation and treatment are directly linked to reduced motor and cognitive deficits, as well as lower mortality." Protocols generally include physical examination, obtaining a summary of the patient's medical history, cursory physical coordination and speech tests, blood tests, CT scans or MRI, scan evaluation, and recommended treatment (such as administering blood-thinners, thrombolysis, or preparation for surgery).
Stroke center
Prison healthcare
Pre-hospital emergency medicine
Poison control center
Children's hospice
Neurohospitalist
International emergency medicine
Hospital NEO