PeaceHealth St. Joseph recognized for commitment to excellence in stroke care for 10th year straight

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – For the 10th year in a row, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center has received national recognition from the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® program for its commitment to excellence in stroke care.

Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death. The program 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.

Hospitals receiving the Get With The Guidelines® - Gold Plus achievement award have reached an aggressive goal of treating patients to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association® for two consecutive calendar years or more. In addition, these award-winning hospitals have also demonstrated compliance to an additional level of quality during the 24-month or greater period.

"We are extremely proud to achieve one of the highest levels of stroke recognition from the American Heart Association for a 10th year in a row," said Noa Harwick, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Stroke Program manager. "Caring for stroke patients requires a multidisciplinary team. It begins with recognition of stroke symptoms in our community and extends well after discharge from the hospital. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our front-line caregivers and clinicians and deserves to be celebrated by all departments supporting the care of stroke patients."

PeaceHealth St. Joseph also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeTM Elite Plus 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.

Additionally, St. Joseph received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll award. This award 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.

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.

The award is based on data from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. 

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, nearly 3,200 physicians and clinicians, more than 160 clinics and 9 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.