Central Missouri News

Lake Regional Health System has received national recognition for its stroke care, marking the 10th consecutive year it has earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award. This award is given to hospitals that follow current, research-based guidelines for treating stroke patients, which can lead to improved survival rates, faster recoveries, and fewer hospital readmissions.

“Continued recognition from the American Heart Association demonstrates that our community can count on us when it matters most,” said Nikki Church, R.N., Lake Regional stroke coordinator. “We equip our team with the training and tools they need to provide the best possible outcomes for our stroke patients, close to home.”

Stroke remains a significant health concern in the United States as it is the fifth leading cause of death and a major contributor to disability. A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted either by a blockage or a burst blood vessel. Early detection and prompt treatment are crucial for increasing survival rates and reducing long-term effects.

The Get With The Guidelines program helps hospitals nationwide implement evidence-based practices for patient care. Hospitals that consistently follow these guidelines may reduce complications and mortality associated with strokes.

“Lake Regional is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for strokes,” Church added. “Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in mid-Missouri experience longer, healthier lives.”

In addition to its primary award, Lake Regional Health System also received several other honors from the American Heart Association in 2025:

- The Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll Elite Plus award recognizes hospitals that quickly treat stroke patients with clot-busting medication upon arrival.

- The Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠ Honor Roll award was given after Lake Regional met strict quality measures regarding diabetes cardiovascular care over 12 months.

- The Get With The Guidelines - Rural Stroke Gold award acknowledges efforts by Lake Regional to improve rural health outcomes related to stroke, addressing disparities between rural and urban populations.

Lake Regional holds state designation as a Level II Stroke Center and has earned certifications such as The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Primary Stroke Certification. The hospital provides advanced stroke management techniques, access to board-certified neurologists, specially trained emergency physicians, rehabilitation staff, and accepts transfers from other facilities seeking acute stroke care. More information about their services can be found at https://lakeregional.com/StrokeCenter.

Since its launch in 2001, Get With The Guidelines has reached over 14 million patients nationwide through its quality improvement resources. Details about this program are available at https://www.heart.org/.