NEWS RELEASE – October 23, 2025
ARH hospitals receive American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines awards
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Twelve ARH hospitals have been honored with American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines awards for their commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, resulting in shorter recovery times, fewer readmissions and more lives saved.
Five ARH hospitals – ARH Our Lady of the Way Hospital, Whitesburg ARH Hospital, Harlan ARH Hospital, Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center and Barbourville ARH Hospital – received the American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines Rural Stroke Gold award.
The Rural Stroke Silver designation was awarded to Mary Breckinridge ARH Hospital, Paintsville ARH Hospital, Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center and Middlesboro ARH Hospital.
McDowell ARH Hospital, Morgan County ARH Hospital and Summers County ARH Hospital received the Rural Stroke Bronze award.
Additionally, Barbourville received the Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll elite; Harlan received the Stroke Silver Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll; and Hazard received the Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
ARH Neurology Service Line Coordinator Rachel Jenkins said the awards demonstrate the systems’ commitment to ensuring every patient has the best chance for recovery with an improved quality of life.
“We are honored to receive these recognitions,” she said. “This achievement reflects the outstanding leadership of each of our stroke coordinators and the dedication of our entire clinical team, who work and strive to deliver timely, evidence-based stroke care.”
Susan Carmical, ARH Vice President of Service Line Operations, agreed, adding, “To be recognized with the Get With The Guidelines awards is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our ARH hospitals to deliver the highest standards of patient care.
“ARH is honored to stand among the nation’s leaders in quality improvement, and we remain steadfast in our mission to advance the health and well-being of the communities we serve.”
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively, according to the American Heart Association 2025 Statistical Update. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.
Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee, said Get With the Guideline awards show ARH’s commitment to providing the best possible care to those who need it.
“By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, ARH can help realize our shared vision for improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,700 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.