Press Release - April 27, 2009

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro
Awarded Advanced Primary Stroke Center Certification from the Joint Commission

SAN PEDRO, CA - April 27, 2009 — Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Advanced Primary Stroke Centers. The medical center earned this distinction after the Joint Commission conducted an on-site review in April. This makes it the only hospital in the Los Angeles South Bay area with Advanced Primary Stroke Center certification and makes it a first-choice destination for ambulances transporting people with symptoms of acute stroke.

“It’s now officially recognized that we have all the elements in place to offer the best stroke care in the South Bay,” said chief executive Nancy Carlson. “All of the other certified centers in Los Angeles County are large hospitals outside of the South Bay such as Cedar Sinai and UCLA. As more of our population ages, it becomes increasingly important to be able to get this high level of care from a personalized, local community hospital.”

“Getting high quality care very quickly when a person suffers a stroke is extremely important,” explained Darcie Fitzgerald, Stoke Program Manager for the center. “Stroke is a brain attack, cutting off blood and oxygen to the brain causing brain cells to die. Our stroke team brings highly-trained, outstanding care to the patient quickly which optimizes the patient’s outcome.”

“Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro demonstrated that its stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” says Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, Joint Commission.

Each year about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke ever 45 second and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

The Joint Commission’s Advanced Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements and guidelines for stroke care. More information about the Joint Commission is available at www.jointcommission.org.

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro is an award-winning 231-bed community hospital serving the South Bay and Harbor City areas of Los Angeles County.