HOUSTON (May 16, 2016)

Memorial Hermann is proud to announce that eight of its hospitals have received recognition from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) for the high-quality stroke care provided to patients.

Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Institute at the Texas Medical Center (MNI) once again received the highest honor bestowed by the AHA/ASA, the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus-Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus award, an honor recognizing MNI’s adherence to all seven of the stroke achievement measures established by the AHA/ASA for two or more consecutive years.

“We are so honored to have been selected once again for this preeminent recognition,” said Dr. Sean Savitz, medical director of MNI’s comprehensive stroke center and stroke program director at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. “Our team works hard every day to ensure our patients receive the very best, safest stroke care possible, and this award underscores our commitment to save lives and prevent complications that can lead to lifelong disabilities.”

In addition to MNI’s accolades, AHA/ASA recognized 24 consecutive months of quality stroke performance at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, which both received the Gold Plus-Target: Stroke Elite award; Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital, which was recognized as a Gold Plus-Target: Stroke Honor Roll hospital; and Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, which earned the Gold Plus recognition. Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital and Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital each received recognition as Silver-Target: Stroke Honor Roll hospitals, measuring 12 consecutive months of meeting AHA/ASA’s achievement standards.

The announcement came during National Stroke Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of strokes and educate Americans about the ways to prevent acute blockages to arteries in the brain that continue to be one of the leading causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States. Strokes afflict a new patient every 40 seconds and lead to one death every four minutes. Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke every year.