Grady Nationally Recognized for its Commitment to Providing High-quality Stroke Care

ATLANTA, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Grady Health System, home to the world-renowned Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center, has earned the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care based on the latest scientific research and evidence-based guidelines.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a major cause of disability in the U.S. Timely treatment is critical because early detection and intervention can save lives, reduce long-term disability, and improve recovery.

The Get With The Guidelines - Stroke program is used by hospitals nationwide to improve stroke care by standardizing treatment according to the most current scientific guidelines. Hospitals that participate in the program demonstrate higher quality care and better patient outcomes.

"Grady's recognition by the American Heart Association reflects our dedication to high-quality stroke care," said Michael Frankel, MD, Chief of Neurology and Director of the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center at Grady Memorial Hospital. "Our team delivers life-saving care grounded in the latest science, ensuring patients receive the right treatment at the right time. Our commitment is not only to individual recovery, but to transforming stroke care for all."

To qualify for the Gold Plus award, Grady met rigorous performance measures for treating stroke patients quickly and effectively, providing critical patient education and prevention measures to decrease the chance of a second stroke. Grady's Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center has one of the largest thrombectomy programs in the country, performing more than 300 such procedures a year while leading major clinical trials that have transformed the field.

In addition to the Gold Plus award, Grady received several other distinctions from the American Heart Association:

• Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll Elite Plus, for reducing the time between hospital arrival and clot-busting treatment.
• Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy, for rapid treatment to physically remove clots in eligible patients.
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes^™ Honor Roll, for delivering specialized stroke care to patients with Type 2 diabetes, who face higher risk of complications.

"We are incredibly pleased to recognize Grady for its commitment to caring for patients with 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, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities."

To learn more about Grady's role in transforming the care of patients with stroke, click here.

About Grady Health System
Grady Health System is one of the largest safety net health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, eight neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center, Correll Pavilion, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate.

With its nationally acclaimed emergency medical services, Grady is Atlanta's only Level I trauma center and serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. Grady's Walter L. Ingram Burn Center is one of only two in the state verified by the American Burn Association. The Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center is a Joint Commission-designated Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center.

Other key services/distinctions include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center with its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Georgia's first Cancer Center for Excellence, The Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Ponce de Leon Center - one of the top HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. Grady is one of an elite group of hospitals to earn the Baby-Friendly USA international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility. For more information, visit www.gradyhealth.org.

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 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

SOURCE Grady Health System