Stony Brook Medicine (SBM) has once again been recognized by the American Heart Association for its commitment to delivering high-quality patient care across cardiovascular and stroke focus areas. This year marks the 16th consecutive year for Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) (2010–2026) and the 13th consecutive year for Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) (2014–2026) to receive the Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus achievement award.
“This recognition from the American Heart Association reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering the highest standard of cardiovascular and stroke care,” said William A. Wertheim, MD, executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine. “Every day, our multidisciplinary teams work together to ensure patients receive timely, evidence-based treatment that leads to better outcomes. We are honored to once again be recognized for our commitment to exceptional care for our community.”
“Receiving these awards once again speaks to the collaboration and dedication of our physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals,” said Carol A. Gomes, chief executive officer of Stony Brook University Hospital. “Their commitment to providing seamless, high-quality care at every stage of the patient journey helps ensure our patients receive the best possible treatment when every minute matters.”
Stroke
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. 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 aligns with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines.
In addition to this year’s Gold Plus achievement, Stony Brook University Hospital earned the distinctions of Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll Elite, Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy and, for the sixth consecutive year, Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll (2021–2026).
These accolades recognize the Cerebrovascular & Comprehensive Stroke Center’s dedication to providing the most up-to-date, evidenced-based care for patients who are hospitalized with a stroke. Time is crucial because the effectiveness of the clot-buster drug diminishes with time, and faster treatment leads to better patient outcomes.
Patients arriving at SBUH experienced faster than average stroke treatment, including quick door-to-needle times and advanced therapies for individuals with large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes. Those with type 2 diabetes, a critically high-risk population, receive expert care when hospitalized with heart failure, heart attack, or stroke at SBUH. Preventing the progression of the disease and its cardiovascular complications through a multi-faceted approach involving education, lifestyle modifications, quality improvement programs and appropriate pharmacological management is Stony Brook’s top priority.
Suffolk County residents have access to specialized, life-saving care within the critical moments of a stroke, before they even get to the hospital, thanks to Stony Brook’s Mobile Stroke Unit Program. Serving more than 45 different communities and working in collaboration with fire and emergency medical service agencies throughout Suffolk, the program markedly accelerates the time required to make an accurate stroke diagnosis, allows for time-sensitive stroke therapies to be administered early, and allows for the transport of stroke patients directly to the most appropriate hospital for the level of care they require, the first time.
Heart Failure
According to the American Heart Association, more than 6.7 million adults in the United States — a number that is expected to increase to more than 8 million by 2030 — are living with heart failure. Many patients with heart failure (HF) can lead a full, enjoyable life when their condition is managed with proper medications or devices and with healthy lifestyle changes. Despite the name, HF doesn’t mean that the heart has stopped working — it means the heart is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. While there’s no cure for HF, patients can live a quality life by working with their healthcare team to create a plan that includes ongoing symptom monitoring and tailored treatment.
The Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center at Stony Brook continues to be recognized for its excellence in patient care, having earned the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award for the eighth consecutive year. This prestigious award commends hospitals that consistently demonstrate an unwavering commitment to treating patients according to the latest evidence-based guidelines from the American Heart Association.
The award further highlights Stony Brook’s Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center’s commitment to its patients, as evidenced by the Advanced Certification Award in Heart Failure and Ventricular Assist Device Certification from The Joint Commission since 2011, as well as the Healthgrades Five-Star Distinction for the Treatment of Heart Failure.
Resuscitation
Each year, more than 300,000 adults and children experience an in-hospital cardiac arrest. Survival from cardiac arrest largely depends on timely medical emergency team response and effective CPR.
Get With The Guidelines – Resuscitation was developed to help save the lives of patients who experience in-hospital cardiac arrest by consistently following the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for treatment, as outlined by the American Heart Association. Guidelines include following protocols for patient safety, medical emergency team response, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care.
At SBUH, a specialized Shock Team has been created to leverage all advanced mechanical support devices, ensuring the highest possible survival rates for patients experiencing cardiac arrest. This team is part of the hospital’s broader commitment to delivering exceptional, evidence-based care during critical emergencies.
Stony Brook University Hospital is also nationally recognized for its commitment to improving cardiac arrest survival rates and has received these awards:
- Target: Survival Adult
- Target: CPR
- Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Gold – Neonate/Infant
- Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Silver – Pediatric
- Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Bronze – Newly Born
- Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Bronze – Adult
“These awards reflect Stony Brook University Hospital’s commitment to caring for people in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Stony Brook University Hospital can help advance our shared vision of better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for patients, families and healthcare systems.”
The American Heart Association also recognized SBUH for multi-disciplinary quality improvement, earning the Commitment to Quality Award. Hospitals earning this recognition demonstrate a comprehensive, systemwide approach to quality improvement, achieving high performance across three or more clinical areas in the Get With The Guidelines® program.
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