ARLINGTON, Texas — Multiple Texas Health hospitals and joint ventures were recently recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) for their advanced care of patients with heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.

Heart disease and stroke claim more lives than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease, combined.

Fifteen Texas Health facilities received Get With The Guidelines^® awards for heart attack treatment, and 12 were recognized for stroke and diabetes care.

According to the American Heart Association, the number of adults in the U.S. suffering from a stroke will double to 20 million, between 2020 and 2050.

It comes as no surprise that strokes rank No. 5 among all causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Strokes rank as the No. 5 cause of death in Texas as well.

And nationwide, heart disease and strokes claim more lives each year than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined.

“No matter their ZIP code, Texas Health is committed to providing North Texans with the care they deserve,” said Kirk King, Texas Health’s Hospital Channel chief operating officer. “We’re ready to address the most complex cases by offering advanced technologies and compassionate care.”

Sunita Koshy-Nesbitt, M.D., M.B.A., a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist, agrees, adding that the awards go beyond high scores and national recognition.

“I’m pleased our facilities have been recognized by the American Heart Association for their commitment to providing quality care,” said Koshy-Nesbitt, who also serves as Texas Health’s Hospital Channel chief quality officer and as chief medical and quality officer for Texas Health Physicians Group.

“Texas Health will continue to provide the necessary resources, along with the comprehensive cardiovascular and stroke care, North Texans expect to receive each time they enter our doors.”

Cardiovascular Accolades

The AHA awards recognize facilities for their commitment to treatment guidelines and quality improvement. The awards for heart attack care were based on participation and achievement in the Get With The Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease program, which is subcategorized by STEMI and NSTEMI.

An additional Get With The Guidelines category, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Rural Recognition, honors facilities in rural areas that enhance acute cardiac care and eliminate healthcare disparities by treating STEMI patients, as well as those suspected of having non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

• ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a lethal type of heart attack that involves full blockage of a coronary artery.
• Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is normally less damaging to the heart and is a partial blockage of a coronary artery or a blockage of a minor heart blood vessel.
• Non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) is a partial blockage of a coronary artery or a blockage of a minor heart blood vessel.

This year’s recipients of the Get With The Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease (STEMI) award include:

• Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital — Bronze Referring Center Plus
• Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance — Gold Receiving Center
• Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth — Gold Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford — Gold Receiving Center
• Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth — Gold Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital Arlington — Gold Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Hospital Frisco — Silver Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South — Gold Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen — Silver Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton — Gold Receiving Center Plus
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound — Bronze Referring Center
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano — Gold Receiving Center Plus

This year’s recipients of the Get With The Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease (NSTEMI) award include:

• Texas Health Allen — Bronze
• Texas Health Alliance — Gold
• Texas Health Denton — Gold
• Texas Health Fort Worth — Gold
• Texas Health Frisco — Bronze
• Texas Health Heart & Vascular Arlington — Gold
• Texas Health HEB — Gold
• Texas Health Huguley — Gold
• Texas Health Plano — Gold
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas — Gold
• Texas Health Southwest — Gold

This year’s recipients of the Get With The Guidelines Rural Coronary Artery Disease award include:

• Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Cleburne — Silver award, NSTE-ACS
• Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville — Silver award, STEMI

Commitment to Stroke Care

The Get With The Guidelines awards recognize a hospital’s commitment to providing stroke and heart failure treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. 

To earn this recognition, hospitals must meet specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke and heart failure patients at a designated level for a set period (24 consecutive months or more for gold, 12 months for silver and three months for bronze). These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with current, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of expediting recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients.

The following received Get With The Guidelines Stroke awards for 2024:

• Texas Health Alliance — Silver Plus award
• Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital — Gold Plus and Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll awards
• Texas Health Dallas — Gold Plus and Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll awards
• Texas Health Fort Worth — Gold Plus, Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll and Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll awards
• Texas Health HEB — Gold Plus and Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll awards
• Texas Health Huguley — Gold Plus award
• Texas Health Plano — Gold Plus and Target Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll awards

Diabetes Recognition

Ten Texas Health facilities received additional recognition, earning the AHA’s Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, which focuses on facilities providing the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when those living with Type 2 diabetes are hospitalized for a stroke. Recipients include:

• Texas Health Allen
• Texas Health Alliance
• Texas Health Dallas
• Texas Health Denton
• Texas Health Fort Worth
• Texas Health Frisco
• Texas Health Heart & Vascular Arlington
• Texas Health HEB
• Texas Health Huguley
• Texas Health Plano
• Texas Health Southwest

Learn more about Texas Health’s specialized services for diabetes treatment, heart and vascular care and stroke care.