Saint Agnes Stroke Team awarded 2026 Stroke Gold Plus for the third year

Fresno, CA – Saint Agnes has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll quality achievement award for our commitment to ensuring patients experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability.

This is the third time Saint Agnes has received the Stroke Gold Plus award, and the first time Saint Agnes has received Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll distinction.

According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report, Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery.

“Saint Agnes is proud to provide timely, effective and award-winning stroke care for Valley patients,” says Dr. Gurvinder Kaur, Saint Agnes President and Market Leader. “With stroke, every minute counts, which is why it’s critical to have high-quality, research-based stroke care right here in our community, so patients can get care faster to live longer, healthier lives.”

As part of the Get With The Guidelines program, Saint Agnes clinicians and physicians work alongside American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines.

Each year, participating hospitals qualify for the Stroke Gold Plus award by demonstrating their organizational commitment to providing quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to help people manage their recovery and ongoing health after returning home.

As the recipient of Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll, Saint Agnes also demonstrated a reduction in the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy, and provided patients with Type 2 diabetes – who might experience higher complication risks – the most up-to-date, evidenced-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

“We are proud to recognize Saint Agnes 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 greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates—a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities.”

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 18 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

Stroke care when every second counts

From rapid diagnosis and treatment to recovery support, Saint Agnes provides coordinated stroke care focused on helping patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

Learn more about stroke care at Saint Agnes