Washington Regional Earns National Recognition for Excellence in Stroke Care
Washington Regional has received four American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for its commitment to following the latest research-based stroke treatment guidelines, helping save lives, support recovery and reduce hospital readmissions.
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. Studies show patients can experience better outcomes when care teams consistently follow evidence-based treatment guidelines. Washington Regional received the following achievement awards:
Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus
This award recognizes Washington Regional for providing patients with the most appropriate stroke care following research-based guidelines. This is the tenth consecutive year Washington Regional has achieved the Gold Plus designation.
Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus
To achieve this designation, Washington Regional met specific criteria to reduce the amount of time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with clot-busting medications. This is the sixth time Washington Regional has earned this designation.
Advanced Therapy
Washington Regional received this designation by meeting criteria to lower the amount of time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the blood clot causing the stroke. This is the sixth consecutive year Washington Regional has achieved this designation.
Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
Washington Regional achieved this recognition for ensuring patients with Type 2 diabetes receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized after a stroke. This is the seventh consecutive year Washington Regional has earned this award.
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 science-backed guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines programs, Washington Regional qualified for the awards by demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving the quality of stroke care.
“These awards reflect Washington Regional's commitment to caring for people in their community who need stroke care,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Washington Regional can help advance our shared vision of better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for patients, families and health care systems.”