SIH Herrin Hospital and SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale have received national recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for their approach to stroke care. Both hospitals were awarded the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll award, which is given to institutions that meet strict standards in providing timely and evidence-based treatment for stroke patients.
The criteria for this recognition include reducing the time between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and the administration of treatments such as clot-busting medication. These efforts are intended to improve outcomes by minimizing death and long-term disability caused by strokes.
Stroke remains a significant health concern in the United States, ranking as the fourth leading cause of death and a major contributor to long-term disability. It results when blood flow to the brain is blocked or a vessel ruptures, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Immediate medical intervention is critical for recovery.
“Rapid treatment truly changes what recovery looks like for stroke patients,” said Andrea Loggini, MD, neurointensivist and neuroscience inpatient medical director at SIH. “This recognition reflects how consistently our teams follow national guidelines and, just as importantly, how well they work together to deliver time-sensitive treatment that can help patients regain speech, movement and independence.”
The Get With The Guidelines program aims to ensure hospitals use current research in their protocols. It encourages early detection and standardized procedures designed to limit damage from strokes and speed up patient recovery.
“For stroke care, every minute matters,” Dr. Loggini said. “From the moment a patient arrives in the Emergency Department, there is a coordinated response involving emergency physicians, nurses, imaging teams and the neuroscience team. That shared focus allows us to move quickly, reduce delays and give patients the best possible chance for recovery.”
Coordination begins before hospital arrival through collaboration with emergency medical services (EMS).
“This recognition is a direct reflection of teamwork. Not just in the Emergency Department, but starting with emergency medical services (EMS) in the field,” said Jonatan Hornik, MD, SIH neurointensivist. “Early identification, rapid communication and seamless handoff between EMS and our ED teams set everything in motion. Stroke care succeeds when every link in the chain works together with urgency and precision.”
Dr. Hornik noted that achieving Target: Stroke Honor Roll status demonstrates how collaboration among departments supports quick action without sacrificing safety.
“When EMS, emergency clinicians, radiology and neuroscience teams are aligned, we can move efficiently while maintaining high standards of care,” he said. “That collective effort is what allows patients to receive timely treatment and what ultimately drives better outcomes.”
Steven Messe, MD, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group added: “We are incredibly pleased to recognize SIH Herrin Hospital and SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale for their commitment to caring for patients with stroke. Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”
