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Ochsner Rush Medical Center nationally recognized for commitment to excellence in stroke care
The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus award for demonstrating commitment to delivering evidence-based, life-saving stroke care
MERIDIAN, Miss. – Ochsner Rush Medical Centerhas received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability.
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. When this happens, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery.
Get With The Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association into hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire Ochsner Rush Health team and the pride we take in delivering high-quality, evidence-based stroke care close to home,” said Larkin Kennedy, CEO of Ochsner Rush Health. “Our commitment to this region means continually advancing the care we provide, investing in proven practices and working together to help patients recover and return to the people and communities that depend on them.”
Each year, participating hospitals qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to help people manage their recovery and ongoing health at home.
“We are proud to recognize Ochsner Rush Medical Center for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities.”
Ochsner Rush Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
In addition, the hospital received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
To learn more about Ochsner Rush Medical Center visit ochsner.org/ormc.
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ABOUT OCHSNER RUSH HEALTH
Founded more than 100 years ago, Rush Health Systems joined Ochsner Health in 2022, making it part of the largest health system in the Gulf South. With its long legacy of medical innovation, quality care and service to others, Ochsner Rush Health is comprised of 7 hospitals and more than 30 clinics with 250 physicians and 95 advanced practice providers. For more information, please visit ochsnerrush.org.