A designated acute stroke ready center shall:
- A. Be licensed as a hospital or freestanding medical center by the licensing authority in the jurisdiction in which it is located;
- B. If a hospital, be accredited by an organization that has been granted deeming authority by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and approved by the Maryland Department of Health to accredit hospitals in the State;
- C. If located in Maryland, be a base station approved under COMAR 30.03.06;
- D. Provide assessment and management of the stroke patient consistent with the most current AHA/ASA consensus based clinical practice guidelines to meet the needs of the patient;
- E. Have a stroke center medical director;
- F. Have a stroke center nurse coordinator dedicated to the facility;
- G. Have sufficient personnel and resources needed to facilitate healthcare data management and concurrent review of quality metrics and program objectives;
- H. Meet the requirements of Regulations .02—.14 of this chapter;
- I. Satisfy the MIEMSS requirements for designation as an Acute Stroke Ready Center; and
J. Meet the requirements for a site review in COMAR 30.08.02.06, which may be satisfied by completing either:
- (1) An on-site review by MIEMSS; or
(2) A site survey as part of The Joint Commission Disease Specific Care Certification Program for certification as an acute stroke ready center if the facility:
- (a) Authorizes The Joint Commission to provide MIEMSS with survey findings, certification reports, and other information related to The Joint Commission’s certification of the hospital as an acute stroke ready center;
- (b) Allows MIEMSS to participate in the accreditation site survey; and
- (c) Provides MIEMSS any additional information required to determine it has satisfied the requirements for designation under this chapter.
Authority: Education Article, §13-509, Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: July 1, 2021 (48:9 Md. R. 360)
Regulation effective July 21, 2025 (52:14 Md. R. 714)