Samaritan Medical Center Once Again Nationally Recognized for Commitment to Excellence in Stroke Care

Published on: July 9, 2026

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus award for demonstrating commitment to delivering evidence-based, life-saving stroke care

Watertown, NY — Samaritan Medical Center has once again 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.

Get With The Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association into hospitals nationwide, ensuring 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.

Stroke is the number four 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.

“At Samaritan Medical Center, we are committed to providing the highest quality stroke care by ensuring every patient receives timely, evidence-based treatment when every minute matters,” said Samaritan President and CEO Thomas Carman. “Receiving this recognition from the American Heart Association reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses, EMS partners and clinical teams, who put proven science into practice every day. By adhering to the latest treatment guidelines, we’re helping improve outcomes, reduce disability and give more patients the opportunity to recover and return home to their families.”

Each year, participating hospitals qualify for this 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.

This year, Samaritan also 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.

“We are proud to recognize Samaritan 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.”

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