Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) is proud to announce that Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) has received the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke GoldPlus award for proven dedication to ensuring stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care. The award recognizes medical facilities that display achievement in their quality of stroke treatment care, leading to more lives saved, more recovery support and reduced hospital readmissions.
Strokes are the No. 4 cause of death in the United States, according to the AHA’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. Studies show patients can experience better outcomes when care teams consistently follow evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Get With The Guidelines® puts the expertise of the AHA and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest science-backed guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines® programs, VVMC qualified for its award by demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving the quality of cardiovascular care.
“VVMC is committed to delivering high-quality care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely, appropriate care for strokes,” said NAH Chief Operating Officer Bo Cofield. “Get With The Guidelines® programs help our teams put proven science into practice every day, supporting better outcomes. VVMC has a dedicated multidisciplinary team who work together to ensure that each stroke patient receives the very best care and that more people in our community can have longer, healthier lives,” Cofield added.
“This award reflects VVMC’s commitment to caring for patients with strokes,” Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, Chair of the AHA Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, VVMC can help advance our shared vision of better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates, which is a win for patients, families and healthcare systems.”
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® allows care teams to also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.