Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook Medicine (SBM) has been recognized by the American Heart Association for its commitment to delivering high-quality patient care in cardiovascular and stroke focus areas. This year marks the 14th consecutive year for Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) (2010-2024) and the 11th consecutive year for Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) (2014-2024) to receive the Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus achievement award. For the 6th consecutive year, SBUH received the Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award. Both awards recognize SBM’s dedication to improving outcomes for patients, resulting in reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.

“This recognition by the American Heart Association underscores the unwavering dedication of our healthcare teams to provide exceptional care for our patients,” said Dr. William Wertheim, executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine. “Our continuous recognition over the years highlights our dedication to providing top-tier cardiovascular and stroke care, and we are proud to see the positive impact our efforts have on improving patient outcomes.”

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., with early detection and treatment being crucial for survival and recovery. Get With The Guidelines helps hospitals nationwide ensure patient care aligns with current research-based guidelines. In addition to this year’s Gold Plus achievement, SBUH earned distinctions such as Target: Stroke℠ Elite Honor Roll, Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠ Honor Roll.

Approximately 6 million U.S. adults live with heart failure, a condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Advanced care can improve life quality through lifestyle changes, symptom monitoring, accurate diagnosis, and advanced therapies including medications and interventions. The Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center at Stony Brook has been recognized for its excellence in patient care with the Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award for six consecutive years. It remains Long Island’s only heart failure program with Joint Commission Certification for Advanced Heart Failure since 2011.

Each year, over 300,000 adults and children experience in-hospital cardiac arrests where survival depends on timely response and effective CPR. Get With The Guidelines – Resuscitation aims to save lives by following updated research-based guidelines from the American Heart Association.

Get With The Guidelines® is a hospital-based quality improvement program from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association that provides hospitals with up-to-date research-based guidelines aimed at saving lives and hastening recovery.