The American Heart Association has announced that more than 3,000 health care organizations nationwide have been recognized for their commitment to improving outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease and stroke through its Get With The Guidelines quality improvement programs. This recognition comes as cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.
Get With The Guidelines programs are designed to help health care teams apply the latest evidence-based science to treatment decisions, ensuring timely and consistent care aligned with proven standards. Awards span clinical areas including stroke, heart failure, heart attack, cardiac arrest, Type 2 diabetes, and atrial fibrillation, with recognition levels from Bronze to Gold Plus based on performance and duration of achievement.
This year, the Association introduced the Commitment to Quality award, which highlights organizations demonstrating high performance across at least three clinical areas. In 2026, 222 hospitals are being recognized with this award, up from 158 in the inaugural year. “Improving outcomes for cardiovascular disease takes coordinated, high-quality care across the entire continuum,” said Karen Joynt-Maddox, M.D., MPH, volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee and associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine. “The organizations recognized this year are applying the latest science, strengthening systems of care, and working together to ensure more patients receive the right treatment at the right time, every time.”
In addition to the Get With The Guidelines awards, the Association recognized 624 agencies with Mission: Lifeline EMS awards for providing rapid, research-based care for heart attacks and strokes. Forty-seven sites received Mission: Lifeline Regional recognition for their commitment to collaborating with referring and receiving hospitals and EMS to establish systems of care based on the most current guidelines. The Mission: Lifeline program aims to reduce barriers to prompt treatment from the moment 911 is called through hospital discharge.
New this year is the Target: Aortic Stenosis Honor Roll, part of an initiative to improve detection and treatment of aortic stenosis, a common heart valve disease that affects more than 1.7 million Americans over 65. Without treatment, it can significantly impact survival and quality of life. Forty-one organizations received this recognition, with Edwards Lifesciences serving as national sponsor.
Studies show that following guideline-directed care can help patients recover faster, reduce complications, and lower the risk of hospital readmission. The growing number of recognized organizations demonstrates continued momentum among health care teams nationwide to standardize care and improve outcomes. The full list of recipients is available at U.S. News & World Report, and more information about the Association’s quality improvement efforts can be found at heart.org/quality.
