Penn State Health hospitals in Central Pa. receive national recognition

Penn State Health hospitals in Central Pennsylvania are gaining national recognition for excellence in cardiovascular and stroke care.

The hospitals received several American Heart Association “Get With The Guidelines” achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, helping save lives, support recovery, and reduce hospital readmissions, according to a release.

“At Penn State Health, we are committed to providing the highest quality care by ensuring every patient experiencing a heart attack or stroke receives timely, evidence-based treatment,” Dr. Ken Wood, chief clinical officer at Penn State Health, said in a statement. “Participation in the Get With The Guidelines programs reflects our dedication to continuously improving care, empowering our clinical teams with proven best practices and helping more people across central Pennsylvania stay healthy.”

The American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report reveals that heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 causes of death in the United States, respectively. Studies show patients can experience better outcomes when care teams consistently follow evidence-based treatment guidelines.

As a participant in the “Get With The Guidelines” programs, Penn State Health qualified for the awards by demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving the quality of cardiovascular and stroke care, per the release.

This year, Penn State Health’s hospitals received the following achievement awards:

Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center (Enola):

• Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Heart Failure Silver Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center (Camp Hill):

• Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• AFib Silver

Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center:

• Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center:

• Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center (Reading):

• Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center also received recognition for meeting specific measures in treating adult, pediatric and neonate/infant patients who experience cardiac arrest while hospitalized.

Penn State Health is an integrated academic health system serving patients and communities across 15 counties in Central Pennsylvania. It employs more than 21,520 people systemwide. The system includes 2,804 physicians and direct care providers at nearly 200 outpatient practices.