Delaware Code Title 16. Health and Safety § 1013. Designation of hospitals as primary stroke centers

(a) The Secretary of Health and Social Services shall designate as a comprehensive stroke center any acute care hospital within Delaware, or an out-of-state acute care hospital upon request, which has received Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers issued by the Joint Commission or an equivalent certification by another nationally-recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization as determined by the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary of Health and Social Services shall designate as a primary stroke center any acute care hospital within Delaware, or an out-of-state acute care hospital upon request, which has received Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers issued by the Joint Commission or an equivalent certification by another nationally-recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization as determined by the Secretary.

(c) The Secretary of Health and Social Services shall designate as an acute stroke ready center any acute health-care facility within Delaware, or an out-of-state acute health-care facility upon request, which has received Advanced Certification for Acute Stroke Ready Centers issued by the Joint Commission or an equivalent certification by another nationally-recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization as determined by the Secretary.

(d) The Secretary of Health and Social Services shall designate as a thrombectomy-capable stroke center any acute health-care facility within Delaware, or an out-of-state acute health-care facility upon request, which has received Advanced Certification for Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Centers issued by the Joint Commission or an equivalent certification by another nationally-recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization as determined by the Secretary.

(e) The Secretary of Health and Social Services may establish other distinct categories of stroke center certification if additional categories are established by the Joint Commission or by an equivalent nationally recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization as determined by the Secretary, and may designate any acute health-care facility as such based on certification by the Joint Commission or other nationally-recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization.

(f) The Secretary of Health and Social Services shall suspend or revoke a facility's designation as a comprehensive stroke center, primary stroke center, acute stroke ready center or other categorization if the Joint Commission or equivalent nationally-recognized guidelines-based accrediting organization as determined by the Secretary suspends or revokes a facility's certification.