News Release: 8/20/2025

News Release
Contact: Therese Michels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Specialist
(815) 971-5421

August 20, 2025

Mercyhealth is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care
The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines ® - Stroke Rural Recognition Gold award

recognizes efforts to address the unique health needs of rural communities

HARVARD, Illinois—People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than
urban counterparts and have 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30%
increased risk of stroke mortality — a gap that has grown over the past two decades. Mercyhealth
Hospital and Medical Center–Harvard is committed to changing that.
For efforts to optimize stroke care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities, Mercyhealth has
received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines Stroke Rural Recognition Gold
award.
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and
brain health for all, recognizes the importance of health care services provided to people living in rural
areas by rural hospitals that play a vital role in initiation of timely evidence-based care. For that reason,
all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines - Stroke are eligible to receive award
recognition based on a unique methodology focused on early acute stroke performance metrics.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center—Harvard’s incredible
accomplishments in earning the Get With The Guidelines - Rural Gold award,” said Kim Stewart,
Mercyhealth Acute Stroke Coordinator. “The whole team’s dedication, collaboration and unwavering
commitment to excellence have truly set a gold standard. This recognition is a testament to the hard
work, passion and resilience each partner brings every day. The team is an inspiration and proves that
when we work together, greatness follows.”
The award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward acute stroke care excellence demonstrated by
composite score compliance to guideline-directed care for intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely
hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment
documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert
consultation.
“Patients and health care professionals in Harvard face unique health care challenges and
opportunities,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, co-author on the American Heart
Association’s presidential advisory on rural health. “Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical
Center–Harvard has furthered this important work to improve care for all Americans, regardless of
where they live.