St. David’s HealthCare facilities receive national recognition for commitment to excellence in cardiovascular and stroke care
St. David’s HealthCare facilities recently earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association 2026 Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved and fewer readmissions to the hospital.
“We are honored to once again receive recognition from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for our commitment to delivering high-quality care for heart disease and stroke,” Ken Mitchell, M.D., chief medical officer of St. David’s HealthCare, said. “Helping patients achieve the best possible outcomes after a heart attack or stroke takes a dedicated team, and we are incredibly grateful to our physicians, nurses and staff for their commitment to providing exceptional care to the communities we serve.”
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 causes of death in the United States, respectively, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.
Get With The Guidelines®- Coronary Artery Disease
St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center received the Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center Gold Plus award, and St. David’s Medical Center received the Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center Gold award for the treatment of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attack patients.
A STEMI heart attack is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart, and it requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.
St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll award by ensuring 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 heart attack.
Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke
St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center received the Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, and St. David’s South Austin Medical Center earned the Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Silver Plus quality achievement award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
St. David’s Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center also received the Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll award by ensuring 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.
Additionally, St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center received the Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll-Elite Plus award, while St. David’s South Austin Medical Center received the Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll-Elite award. To qualify, hospitals must meet specific criteria to reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
Mission: Lifeline®
St. David’s Medical Center, St. David's North Austin Medical Center, St. David's South Austin Medical Center, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, St. David's Georgetown Hospital and Heart Hospital of Austin received the American Heart Association’s Greater Austin Mission: Lifeline® Regional Award for their regional collaboration surrounding care for those experiencing the most severe heart attacks.
The Mission: Lifeline Regional Award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to working with their referring and receiving hospital partners, as well as EMS, to establish a system of care based on the most up-to-date research-based guidelines as outlined by the American Heart Association.
Details
August 20, 2026
St. David's HealthCare
Name: Beth Phillips
Phone: (806) 252-0055
Email: bphillips@ecprtexas.com