SBUH Again Recognized for High-Quality Stroke and Cardiac Care

Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) 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 15th consecutive year (2010–2025) of receiving the Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus achievement award. For the seventh consecutive year, SBUH received the Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award. Both awards recognize Stony Brook Medicine’s dedication to improving outcomes for patients, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.

“This acknowledgment from the American Heart Association reflects the steadfast commitment of our medical teams to deliver outstanding care to our patients,” said William Wertheim, MD, executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine. “Being recognized consistently over the years reinforces our ongoing pursuit of excellence in cardiovascular and stroke treatment, and we take pride in the meaningful difference our work makes in our patients’ health and recovery.”

“Achieving these prestigious awards year after year is a testament to the tireless dedication of our physicians, nurses, and staff who put patients first every day,” said Carol Gomes, chief executive officer of Stony Brook University Hospital. “Each and every one of them plays an integral part in providing the kind of rapid and coordinated effort that has earned us these top honors.”

Stroke

Stroke is the No. 5 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 (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned 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℠ Elite Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy and, for the fifth consecutive year, Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠ Honor Roll (2021–2025).

These accolades recognize the Cerebrovascular & Comprehensive Stroke Center’s dedication to providing the most up-to-date, evidence-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 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 40 different communities and working in collaboration with over 40 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 seventh consecutive year. This prestigious honor 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 lives of patients who experience in-hospital cardiac arrests 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 received these awards:

• Target: Survival
• Target: CPR
• Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Gold – Neonate/Infant
• Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Silver – Newly Born
• Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Bronze – Pediatric

“These awards show Stony Brook University Hospital’s commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Stony Brook University Hospital can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”