Harrison Memorial Hospital recognized with American Heart Association Gold Rural Stroke Care Award
The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Rural Gold Recognition award honors hospitals advancing high-quality stroke care in rural communities.
People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than their urban counterparts, have a 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30% increased risk of stroke mortality, according to an American Heart Association presidential advisory on rural health. Harrison Memorial Hospital (HMH) is committed to changing that.
For its efforts to optimize stroke care and reduce gaps in rural health outcomes, Harrison Memorial Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Rural Gold Recognition award.
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, 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.
The American Heart Association recognizes the importance of health care services provided by rural hospitals, which play a vital role in ensuring patients receive timely, evidence-based stroke care. Rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke are eligible for recognition based on performance in key early stroke care measures.
“We are honored to receive the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Rural Gold Recognition award,” said Kathy Tussey, HMH Chief Executive Officer. “Providing exceptional stroke care is a responsibility we take very seriously. While rural hospitals face challenges such as longer transport times and limited resources, our physicians, nurses, EMS partners and clinical teams remain committed to delivering rapid, evidence-based care that gives every patient the best possible opportunity for recovery. This recognition reflects the dedication and teamwork of our entire organization.”
“Every minute matters when someone is experiencing a stroke,” said Dr. Wesley Barnett, Medical Director of Harrison Memorial Hospital Emergency Services. “Our emergency department works closely with EMS and regional stroke specialists to rapidly evaluate patients, begin evidence-based treatment and, when necessary, coordinate timely transfer to a higher level of care. Receiving the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Rural Gold Recognition reflects our team’s commitment to providing high-quality stroke care close to home and ensuring our patients receive the best possible outcomes.”
The award recognizes hospitals that demonstrate excellence in acute stroke care through performance on guideline-directed measures, including timely administration of intravenous thrombolytic therapy, efficient interfacility transfer, dysphagia screening, documentation of symptom onset and neurological deficits, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation.
“Patients and health care professionals in rural communities face unique health care challenges and opportunities,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and co-author of the Association’s advisory on rural health. “Harrison Memorial Hospital has advanced the important work of improving care for all Americans, regardless of where they live.”
About Harrison Memorial Hospital
Harrison Memorial Hospital is a 61-bed, independent, not-for-profit community hospital located in Cynthiana, Kentucky. For more than 120 years, Harrison Memorial Hospital has provided high-quality, compassionate health care to the residents of Harrison County and the surrounding region. The hospital offers a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services, including emergency care, surgical services, cancer care, cardiovascular care, orthopedics, primary care and numerous specialty services. Harrison Memorial Hospital is committed to improving the health of the communities it serves through exceptional patient care, education and community outreach.
About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based
