Saint Mary's Receives National Stroke Care Recognition for Eighth Straight Year

Saint Mary's Regional Health System has earned the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for the eighth consecutive year, reflecting a sustained commitment to delivering evidence-based stroke care and improving patient outcomes. The hospital also received its first-ever Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Silver award, recognizing efforts to ensure patients in rural communities have access to timely, high-quality stroke treatment close to home. 

Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. When this happens, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery. 

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines programs, Saint Mary's qualified for the awards by demonstrating how the organization has committed to improving quality care. 

"Saint Mary's is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for strokes," said Tim Tanner, Stroke Coordinator at Saint Mary's. "Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in the River Valley experience longer, healthier lives."  

This year, Saint Mary's Regional Health System received these achievement awards:  

• Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus

• Target: Stroke Honor Roll

• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

• Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Silver 

"These awards show Saint Mary's Regional Health System's commitment to caring for those in the community who need cardiovascular care," said Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association's Quality Oversight Committee. "By following the American Heart Association's quality improvement protocols, Saint Mary's can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates—a win for health care systems, families and communities."