By ATHENA KLAPAK
The American Heart Association
CENTRE COUNTY — Ten Central Pennsylvania hospitals are among the 4,800 nationwide that participate in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® initiative to improve outcomes for Americans who experience heart disease or stroke.
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively. These health crises require swift and proven treatment to ensure the best outcomes for patients. The American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of work to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere, sets the standards for high-quality, science-based care and access that all patients deserve.
“Every 40 seconds, someone in America has a stroke or heart attack,” Vanessa Houser, development director, American Heart Association, said. “High-quality care should be accessible to all, and sites awarded through the Get With The Guidelines program help work toward our shared vision of health and hope for everyone, everywhere.”
Each year, the American Heart Association recognizes hospitals across the country for consistently following up-to-date, research-based guidelines to ensure all patients have access to lifesaving care. In Central Pennsylvania, the following hospitals were recognized this year:
- Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center (Johnstown)
- Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center
- Conemaugh Nason Hospital (Roaring Spring)
- Indiana Regional Medical Center
- Mount Nittany Health
- Penn Highlands Dubois
- Penn Highlands Elk
- UPMC Altoona
- UPMC Bedford Memorial
- UPMC Somerset
