When a stroke occurs, every minute matters. For patients and families across the Rio Grande Valley, rapid access to proven stroke care can mean the difference between long-term disability and recovery.
Rio Grande Regional Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring patients experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. The hospital also earned Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognition.
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, reducing disability and supporting recovery.
“Receiving the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus award reflects the skill, dedication and teamwork of our physicians, nurses and colleagues,” said Laura Disque, CEO of Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “When a stroke occurs, every minute matters. This recognition demonstrates our continued commitment to using proven, evidence-based practices so patients across the Rio Grande Valley can receive timely, high-quality stroke care close to home.”
Get With The Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association into 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 designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can reduce the long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death.
Each year, participating hospitals qualify for Get With The Guidelines recognition by demonstrating a commitment to providing high-quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, participating hospitals provide education to help patients manage their recovery and ongoing health at home.
“We are proud to recognize Rio Grande Regional Hospital for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, 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 a greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a meaningful benefit for healthcare systems, families and communities.”
Rio Grande Regional Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus award. To qualify, hospitals must meet specific criteria focused on reducing the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
The hospital also earned the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. The program recognizes hospitals that provide patients with Type 2 diabetes, who may face a higher risk of complications, with current, evidence-based care when hospitalized because of stroke.
For more information about the Get With The Guidelines quality achievement awards visit the American Heart Association’s webpage.