MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital awarded Primary Stroke Certification from Joint Commission

Sat, 10/03/2026 - 9:00am

Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval

ROCKPORT — MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Primary Stroke Certification.

“Primary Stroke Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing executive, Joint Commission, in a MaineHealth news release. “We commend MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital for using Joint Commission’s certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”

MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review on June 5, 2026. During the visit, a Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care reviewer evaluated compliance with all Primary Stroke Center certification clinical and programmatic standards. Joint Commission stroke certification standards are based on evidence-based clinical guidelines from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association and were developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers and measurement experts. The reviewer also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“Our care team is committed to providing the best possible care for patients, from the moment they arrive at the emergency department through their entire hospital stay,” said Eileen Hawkins, MSN, RN, stroke program coordinator for MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital. “This recertification recognizes the work that our team does every day to provide timely, coordinated and evidence-based stroke care. It also reinforces our commitment to continually evaluating what we do and looking for ways to improve the care and experience we provide to our patients and their families.”

The American Stroke Association also recognized the hospital’s commitment to quality stroke care.

“We congratulate MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital for this outstanding achievement,” says Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”

For more information, please visit Joint Commission’s website.

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and Waterville. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.