Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-78.1-3. Designation of Rhode Island comprehensive and primary stroke centers and acute stroke ready hospitals

(a) The director of the department of health shall establish a process to recognize comprehensive and primary stroke centers and acute stroke-ready hospitals in Rhode Island.  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association have collaborated on the development of certification programs for comprehensive and primary stroke centers and acute stroke-ready hospitals that follow the best practices for stroke care.  A hospital shall be designated as a “Rhode Island comprehensive stroke center,” a “Rhode Island primary stroke center,” or a “Rhode Island acute stroke-ready hospital” if it has received a certificate of distinction for comprehensive or primary stroke centers or “acute stroke-ready hospitals” issued by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (the Joint Commission) or other nationally recognized certification body, if a formal process is developed in the future;

(b) The department of health shall recognize as many hospitals as Rhode Island comprehensive or primary stroke centers or as acute stroke-ready hospitals as apply and are awarded certification by the joint commission (or other nationally recognized certification body, if a formal process is developed in the future);

(c) The director of the department of health may suspend or revoke a hospital's state designation as a Rhode Island comprehensive or primary stroke center, or acute stroke ready hospital, after notice and hearing, if the department of health determines that the hospital is not in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.