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Providence’s three San Fernando Valley hospitals nationally recognized for commitment to providing high-quality stroke care

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The American Heart Association has presented Get With The Guidelines® Stroke 2025 Gold Plus awards to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank and Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana.  

These quality achievement awards are bestowed upon hospitals that are committed to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability. 

“We are committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Karl Keeler, chief executive of Providence’s San Fernando Valley service area. “Get With The Guidelines helps our teams put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. Our goal is to ensure more people in the San Fernando Valley can experience longer, healthier lives.”  

Each year, Get With The Guidelines participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.  

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Providence’s three San Fernando Valley hospitals for their commitment to caring for patients with 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, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.” 

All three Providence hospitals in the Valley 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. 

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.