Dignity Health Northern California Division Hospitals Receive ‘Get With the Guidelines’ Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (October 4, 2021) – Eleven of Dignity Health’s Northern California division hospitals have again received American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With the Guidelines Quality Achievement Awards. These distinctions recognize each hospital’s commitment to ensuring their stroke, heart failure and diabetes patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines anchored by the latest scientific evidence.

“With strokes or heart failure, every second counts and time is just as precious when addressing a chronic illness like diabetes. Our caregivers are dedicated to providing high quality patient care as quickly as possible to ensure the best outcomes,” said Dr. Todd Strumwasser, President of the Northern California division of CommonSpirit Health, parent company of Dignity Health. “We are immensely proud to again receive these prestigious recognitions from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.”

All 11 hospitals recognized are certified stroke centers. The hospitals earned the awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke, heart failure, and diabetes patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery, and reducing death and disability. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health and get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 6.5 million adults in the United States have heart failure, contributing to one in eight deaths each year. At least 68 percent of people with diabetes aged 65 and older die of some form of heart disease and 16 percent die from stroke, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. 

The 11 Dignity Health Northern California division hospitals received the following awards: 

• Dominican Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus Award, Heart Failure Gold Plus Award, Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• Mercy General Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Mercy Hospital of Folsom received the Gold Plus Award and Target: Stroke Honor Roll.
• Mercy Medical Center Redding received the Stroke Gold Plus Award and Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll. 
• Mercy San Juan Medical Center received the Stroke Gold Plus Award, Target: Stroke Honor Roll – Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• Methodist Hospital of Sacramento received the Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite Plus.
• Saint Francis Memorial Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus Award and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• Sequoia Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus Award, Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• St. Mary’s Medical Center received the Stroke Gold Plus Award and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite Plus, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• Woodland Memorial Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite Plus.

About Dignity Health Northern California Division Hospitals

Dignity Health’s 13 accredited, not-for-profit hospitals in Northern California—Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, Mercy Hospital of Folsom, Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta, Mercy Medical Center Redding, Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley, St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center in San Francisco, Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, and Woodland Memorial Hospital—have received national recognition for superior safety and quality. Each is passionate about providing an exceptional patient experience, investing in their communities, advocating for the underserved, and delivering quality, affordable health services to anyone in need.

About Get With The Guidelines®

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get WithThe Guidelines has touched the lives of more than nine million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org/quality.

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