Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke or heart attack, with heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S., followed by stroke at No. 5. Studies show patients may recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain either bursts or is blocked by a clot. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence and research-based guidelines. As a participant in Get With The Guidelines programs, Trinity qualified for the award by demonstrating how the organization has committed to improving quality care.

“Trinity is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks and strokes,” said Leah Glasgo, chief executive officer and president of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. “The Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in our area experience longer, healthier lives. Our entire team, from the emergency department to radiology to inpatient floors, goes above and beyond to provide excellent care for our patients. It’s because of their hard work that we earned these awards.”

This year, Trinity received these achievement awards:

Get With The Guidelines — Stroke Gold Plus

This quality achievement award is for the commitment to ensure stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

Get With The Guidelines — Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze

People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and face a 30 percent increased risk for stroke mortality — a gap that has grown over the past two decades.

The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recognizes that people in rural areas face a unique set of challenges when accessing health care and that rural hospitals must work with varied patient care dynamics. The award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward acute stroke care excellence demonstrated by composite score compliance to guideline-directed care for intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation.

“We are pleased to recognize UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Dr. John Warner, past president of the American Heart Association and chief executive officer of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”