Cologne University Hospital: Successful recertification of the stroke unit!

Cologne University Hospital: Successful recertification of the stroke unit!

The University Hospital of Cologne has reason to be happy: its stroke unit has been successfully recertified as a national stroke unit by the German Stroke Society (DSG). This award not only confirms the high quality of the treatment provided here, but also the central role of the clinic in the neurovascular network of the Cologne region. Over 1,500 strokes are treated in the university clinic every year. “Fast and competent medical care can be crucial in minimizing lasting damage,” emphasizes the clinic.

The national stroke unit has 17 beds and is tailored to the specific needs of stroke patients. An interdisciplinary team from various disciplines works hand in hand to ensure optimal care for patients. This close collaboration is not only beneficial for patients, but also motivates employees to maintain and continually improve the highest standards of patient care. “The recertification encourages us to continually develop the quality of our work,” emphasizes the university clinic.

A strong network for stroke patients

The University Hospital of Cologne meets the criteria of the neurovascular network (NVN), which represents a supra-regional care structure for patients with neurovascular diseases. This network, which also includes patients with rare diseases, offers interdisciplinary care at a high level and confirms the close cooperation between neuro-specialties. The certified stroke units are the backbone of stroke care in Germany dsg-info.de explained.

Collaboration within the NVN is essential to ensure the quality of care. There are clear allocation and meeting rules between the participating institutions, including vascular surgery, neurosurgery and neuroradiology departments. The aim of the certification is to permanently ensure and continuously improve the quality of the networks. This initiative is guaranteed by an independent procedure that defines both processes and structures for the treatment of patients and is based on professional society, as detailed on certification.tuv.com described.

One of the most important instruments in this context are the regularly updated certification criteria for stroke units in Germany, which have been in force since January 1, 2025 and come into play here. These standards were designed to include telemedically networked stroke units and to take into account the collection of relevant data from collaborating clinics in areas such as vascular surgery, neurosurgery and radiology-neuroradiology.

With the recertification of the Stroke Unit, the University Hospital of Cologne continues to position itself as a top center for stroke care and ensures that the region's approximately two million residents can benefit from first-class medical care. This not only means high-quality treatment for the patients, but also a big thank you to all employees who do their best every day to help faster and better.