Local Hospitals Recognized for Heart Disease and Stroke Care

Boston, MA – Finding the right hospital for treating heart disease and stroke just got easier, thanks to a new online tool from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

GWTG Heart Failure Gold Plus Award

Lowell General Hospital, Lowell, MA

Lowell General Hospital, Lowell, MA

Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA

GWTG Heart Failure Gold Award

Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA

GWTG Stroke Gold Plus Award

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham, Needham, MA

Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA

Lahey Clinic, Burlington, MA

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

MetroWest Medical Center - Framingham Union Hospital, Framingham, MA

MetroWest Medical Center - Leonard Morse Hospital, Natick, MA

Milford Regional Medical Center, Milford, MA

Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA

North Shore Medical Center Union Hospital, Lynn, MA

North Shore Medical Center - Salem, Salem, MA

Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester, MA

Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital, Brockton, MA

Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA

UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA

GWTG Stroke Gold Award

Faulkner Hospital, Boston, MA

GWTG Stroke Silver Plus Award

Addison Gilbert Hospital, Gloucester, MA

Norwood Hospital, Norwood, MA

Quincy Medical Center, Quincy, MA

GWTG Stroke Silver Award

Clinton Hospital, Clinton, MA

The interactive map lets you search by city or zip code for hospitals recognized by the organization’s quality achievement awards program. Hospitals receiving these awards are among the best in the nation in following treatment guidelines proven to increase survival rates and reduce readmission rates for heart attack, heart failure and stroke patients. The hospital map is just one of the tools that can be found on the new website, www.heart.org/myhealthcare with information and resources to help heart disease and stroke patients and their families learn more about living with these conditions. 

“This website has a tremendous collection of resources for you to learn more about living with cardiovascular disease and stroke. The map is especially helpful in finding high quality medical care in your area. Equipped with these tools, you can make more informed decisions about your healthcare – before you need it,” said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D, chairman of American Heart Association Hospital Accreditation Science Committee and professor of cardiovascular medicine of the University of California, Los Angeles. “But it’s important to note that discussing hospital options with your doctor should be ongoing conversation – the map isn’t intended for making emergency medical decisions if you’re actually having a heart attack or stroke.”

Fonarow said if you or someone you’re with has heart attack or stroke symptoms call 9-1-1 immediately.

“Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are trained to know how to provide urgent treatment and know which hospitals have the resources to best treat heart attack and stroke,” he said. “By calling 9-1-1, you’re activating an exceptional system of healthcare providers that gets you the right treatment in the quickest time possible – it can save your life.”

 Hospitals on the map have received an achievement award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, or received certification or accreditation through the association’s programs with The Joint Commission of the Society for Chest Pain Centers. Achievement awards are given for care in heart failure, stroke and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Certification is given for primary stroke centers and advanced heart failure care, while accreditation is given for heart attack care to either STEMI receiving hospitals or STEMI referring hospitals.

The map launches in conjunction with the U.S. News & World Reports “Best Hospitals” annual issue, which features an ad listing the more than 1,000 unique hospitals to receive American Heart Association/American Stroke Association achievement awards this year.

For more information on the American Heart Association’s hospital accreditation and certification programs, visit www.heart.org/myhospital. To learn more about the association’s suite of quality improvement programs, visit www.heart.org/quality.