VALLEY CITY ND – CHI Mercy Hospital of Valley City has received two American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research- based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times, and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke or heart attack. Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number five causes of death in the United States, respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Get with the Guidelines put 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 the Get with the Guidelines program, CHI Mercy Hospital qualified for the awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

“CHI Mercy Hospital of Valley City is committed to improving care by following the latest treatment guidelines and processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks and strokes,” Ryan Fowler, CHI Hospital President. “The Get with the Guidelines program makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in Valley City experience longer, healthier lives.”

This year, CHI Mercy of Valley City received a Gold award for Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referrals and a Silver award for Rural Stroke Care!

“These awards show CHI Mercy’s commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Medicine. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, CHI