Princeton Community Hospital Earns DNV Primary Stroke Center Accreditation

PRINCETON, W.Va. — WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital has been accredited as a Primary Stroke Center by DNV, a designation that recognizes the hospital’s ability to provide high‑level, evidence‑based stroke care for the region.
Hospital officials say the accreditation confirms that Princeton Community Hospital meets rigorous national standards for the rapid diagnosis, treatment, and management of stroke patients. As a Primary Stroke Center, the hospital is equipped to evaluate patients quickly, begin treatment immediately, and start rehabilitation within the first 24 hours.
To earn the designation, the hospital underwent an extensive review of its stroke program, including patient outcomes. In the first three quarters of 2025, the hospital treated an average of 23 stroke patients per month. The program includes NIH Stroke Scale certification for all nurses caring for stroke patients, annual stroke‑specific education for physicians and emergency staff, and close coordination with EMS to activate stroke alerts before patients arrive.
Princeton Community Hospital also provides community education on stroke awareness and risk factors. Stroke remains the fifth‑leading cause of death in West Virginia, which has one of the highest stroke mortality rates in the nation.
Dr. Stephen Rohrbough, neurologist and medical director of the stroke program, said the accreditation ensures that patients in southern West Virginia have access to advanced stroke care close to home.