Prime Healthcare Hospitals Across 13 States Earn National Recognition from the American Heart Association
Prime Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading health systems, has achieved a significant milestone in cardiovascular care. The American Heart Association (AHA) has recognized 84% of Prime Healthcare hospitals nationwide with its prestigious Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for 2025. This distinction highlights Prime Healthcare’s leadership in advancing evidence-based cardiac care, reducing hospital readmissions, and saving lives through consistent adherence to clinical best practices.
National Recognition Across Multiple Specialties
Hospitals under Prime Healthcare, spanning 13 U.S. states, earned awards for their excellence in treating conditions that remain among the most pressing public health challenges: stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes-related cardiovascular complications. These honors underscore Prime Healthcare’s system-wide commitment to high-quality, guideline-directed care that ensures patients receive timely and consistent treatments backed by the latest medical research.
According to the AHA’s 2025 Statistical Update, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, while stroke ranks fifth. Tackling these conditions requires more than just isolated interventions; it demands a unified, system-level approach that integrates clinical expertise, patient education, and data-driven decision-making.
The Role of Get With The Guidelines®
The Get With The Guidelines® programs play a pivotal role in transforming how hospitals deliver cardiovascular care. Developed by the American Heart Association, the initiative provides structured tools and protocols to help hospitals apply the latest science in real-world settings. Clinical teams use these resources to guide treatment decisions, minimize complications, and improve long-term outcomes for patients.
Studies have repeatedly shown that adherence to guideline-based care can significantly shorten recovery time, lower the risk of hospital readmission, and improve survival rates. By embedding these practices into daily care, hospitals ensure that patients benefit from the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatments available.
A New Commitment to Quality Award
In 2025, the AHA introduced a new Commitment to Quality Award, designed to recognize hospitals that excel across multiple cardiovascular specialties in the same year. To qualify, a hospital must achieve at least Silver-level or higher performance in three or more Get With The Guidelines programs.
This award acknowledges not only excellence in treating one condition but also a hospital’s ability to deliver comprehensive cardiovascular care across specialties such as stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes management.
Three Prime Healthcare hospitals earned this distinction, placing them among only 158 hospitals nationwide to receive the Commitment to Quality Award in 2025:
- St. Joseph Medical Center (Missouri)
- St. Mary’s Medical Center (Missouri)
- Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital (New Jersey)
Leadership Perspectives
Industry leaders praised Prime Healthcare’s achievements, emphasizing the broader impact on patients, families, and communities.
“These awards show Prime Healthcare’s commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, MD, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current chair of its Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Prime Healthcare can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions, and lower mortality rates—a win for health care systems, families, and communities.”
Dr. Sunny Bhatia, President and Chief Medical Officer of Prime Healthcare, echoed this sentiment. “We are honored for nearly all of our Prime hospitals to be recognized by the AHA for exceptional cardiac care. Heart disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and as a cardiologist, cardiac care is close to my heart. With 84% of Prime hospitals recognized, these awards highlight the extraordinary work of our physicians, nurses, and staff,” he said. “This achievement reflects our commitment to evidence-based care and reaffirms our mission to revitalize hospitals, improve outcomes, and serve communities with compassion and excellence.”
Prime Healthcare’s Track Record of Excellence
Beyond the AHA recognition, Prime Healthcare has built a strong reputation for improving hospital performance nationwide. Its hospitals have appeared 72 times on the 100 Top Hospitals list by Premier, and the system has earned multiple awards for quality and health equity from the Lown Institute.
Recently, 18 Prime hospitals were named by U.S. News & World Report for consistently delivering care at or above national standards. Additionally, 16 hospitals received Patient Safety Excellence Awards from Healthgrades, further solidifying Prime Healthcare’s status as a leader in patient-centered, safe, and effective care.
Highlights of 2025 Awards Across Prime Hospitals
The breadth of recognition across Prime hospitals demonstrates the system’s holistic approach to cardiovascular care. Below is a breakdown of some of the major award categories:
Stroke Care – 35 Hospitals
Prime hospitals earned recognition at multiple levels of stroke care, including Gold Plus, Target Stroke Elite Plus, and Advanced Therapy designations. Hospitals such as Garden City Hospital (MI), St. Francis Medical Center (CA), and St. Joseph Medical Center (MO) stood out for advanced stroke care, while others, including Centinela Regional Medical Center (CA) and Dallas Regional Medical Center (TX), earned Elite Honor Roll recognition.
Heart Failure Care – 24 Hospitals
Hospitals such as Desert Valley Hospital (CA), Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center (NV), and St. Mary’s Medical Center (MO) received the Gold Plus + Target: HF Optimal Honor Roll award, reflecting their commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive optimal evidence-based care and education to manage their condition long term.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Care – 4 Hospitals
Four hospitals were recognized for excellence in coronary artery disease treatment, with St. Mary’s Medical Center (MO) and St. Joseph Medical Center (MO) standing out for their superior NSTEMI care and diabetes-focused integration.
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) – 1 Hospital
Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital (NJ) was recognized with a Silver award for high-quality atrial fibrillation management, ensuring patients at risk of stroke and other complications receive consistent, guideline-based therapies.
Commitment to Quality – 3 Hospitals
As noted earlier, St. Joseph Medical Center (MO), St. Mary’s Medical Center (MO), and Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital (NJ) received the AHA’s newly launched Commitment to Quality Award for achieving excellence across multiple cardiovascular specialties in 2025.
Why This Matters for Patients and Communities
The recognition of 84% of Prime hospitals is not just a symbolic honor—it directly translates to better outcomes for patients across the country. Patients treated at these hospitals benefit from care protocols proven to reduce complications, speed recovery, and prevent repeat hospital visits.
By adopting a standardized, evidence-based framework, Prime Healthcare ensures that patients in urban centers and rural communities alike receive the same high standard of cardiovascular care. This consistency is vital in addressing healthcare disparities and ensuring equitable access to lifesaving treatment.
