The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus award for demonstrating commitment to delivering evidence-based, life-saving stroke care.

Saint Vincent Hospital receives the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability.

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 brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association into hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death.

“This recognition reflects the dedication and expertise of our physicians, nurses, and clinical teams who work together to provide exceptional stroke care every day,” said Saint Vincent Hospital CEO Maria Morales Menendez. “When a stroke occurs, every minute matters. We are proud to deliver evidence-based care that helps patients achieve the best possible outcomes close to home.”

Each year, participating hospitals qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to help people manage their recovery and ongoing health at home.

“We are proud to recognize Saint Vincent Hospital for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities.”

Saint Vincent Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.

In addition, the hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

About Saint Vincent Hospital

Saint Vincent Hospital is an acute care teaching hospital providing general and tertiary medical services to residents of Worcester and Central Massachusetts. From newborns to seniors, Saint Vincent Hospital is built on care and has a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, including open-heart surgery, neurosurgery, cardiovascular medicine, orthopedics and the Saint Vincent Cancer and Wellness Center. Saint Vincent Hospital was founded by the Sisters of Providence and has over a century-long tradition providing quality healthcare. It was the first hospital in Central Massachusetts to offer robotically assisted surgical procedures and minimally invasive, computer-assisted joint replacements. U.S. News & World Report named Saint Vincent Hospital a 2025-2026 Best Regional Hospital and recognized ten high performing specialty care areas including: Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Congestive Heart Failure, COPD, Diabetes, Hip Replacement, Kidney Failure, Knee Replacement, Lung Cancer Surgery, Pneumonia, Heart Arrhythmia. Saint Vincent Hospital is located at 123 Summer Street, Worcester, MA and has a variety of medical group locations throughout the region. To learn more, visit www.StVincentHospital.com.