Archbold Memorial is Nationally Recognized for its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke Gold Plus award for consistent dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care.

Archbold has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment in accordance with nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

​Archbold Memorial is also recognized as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, in partnership with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report.  A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. 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 is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“We are proud that our team at Archbold Memorial has been recognized again for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of people in Southwest Georgia who are affected by stroke, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Brian Dawson, MD, Archbold Memorial Stroke Director and Neurologist. “This recognition for our stroke program is yet another testament to Archbold’s long-standing commitment to the communities we serve. The Gold Plus recognition is awarded to hospitals that have maintained these guidelines for more than 24 consecutive months."

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating their organization's commitment to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are proud to recognize Archbold Memorial for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities.”

Archbold Memorial also received the American Heart Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke Rural Recognition Silver award for efforts to optimize stroke care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities.

Additionally, the hospital was recognized with the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll awards. The Stroke Honor Roll Elite award recognizes the timely administration of clot-busting medication to stroke patients in the facility. Hospitals that achieve a "door-to-needle" time of 60 minutes or less in 85% of patients receive this recognition. 

The Target: Type 2 Diabetes award recognizes Archbold Memorial's efforts to ensure that patients with Type 2 diabetes, who may be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized for stroke.

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 guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 18 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.