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Fort Smith
Mercy hospitals in Arkansas have again earned national recognition for their commitment to providing high-quality stroke care.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has recognized Mercy Hospital Fort Smith and Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas with its Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) Stroke Gold Plus by reaching the target for the Stroke Honor Roll and the target for the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. Recognition is based on calendar year data for 2024.
Additional Mercy Arkansas locations also received awards from the AHA for excellence. These include:
· Mercy Hospital Berryville, GTWG-Stroke Bronze
· Mercy Hospital Booneville, GWTG Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Bronze; GWTG Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Bronze
· Mercy Hospital Ozark, GWTG-Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Bronze
· Mercy Hospital Paris, GWTG-Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Bronze
· Mercy Hospital Waldron, GWTG-Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Bronze
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively, according to the American Heart Association 2025 Statistical Update. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.
Get With The Guidelines put 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 Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, Mercy qualified for the awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.
The AHA issues its Get With The Guidelines - Stroke awards to hospitals that demonstrate their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment following national recognized, research-based guidelines, which saves lives and reduces disabilities. These hospitals also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.
To earn the Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll, Mercy had to meet specific criteria where the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with clot-busting medication is reduced. To earn the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, Mercy had to demonstrate it 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.
“These awards show Mercy's commitment to caring for those in their 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, Mercy 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.”
