John Muir Health Recognized by American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for Providing High-Quality Cardiovascular and Stroke Care

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October 8, 2025

(Concord, CA and Walnut Creek, CA) –John Muir Health’s Concord and Walnut Creek Medical Centers are once again being recognized nationally for delivering high-quality heart disease and stroke care. The American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® achievement awards are given to hospitals for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

2025 recognitions for John Muir Health include:

• Heart Failure Gold Plus (Concord and Walnut Creek)
  • Commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.
• Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold Plus (Concord) and Gold (Walnut Creek
  • Commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks. Both the Concord and Walnut Creek Medical Centers are designated as Contra Costa County STEMI Receiving Centers for severe heart attack patients
•  Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus (Concord and Walnut Creek)
  • Commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
• Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll (Concord and Walnut Creek)
  • To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-busting drug, alteplase.
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (Concord and Walnut Creek)
  • Ensures patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart disease or stroke.
• Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll (Walnut Creek)
  • Meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke.

“Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the U.S., respectively,” said  Medical Director, John Muir Health Cardiovascular Catheterization Lab, Faizul Haque, MD. “John Muir Health follows the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association’s proven guidelines to ensure more people in our community can experience longer, healthier lives.”

The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have also recognized the Walnut Creek Medical Center as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, which is the highest level of stroke certification. This means that John Muir Health delivers advanced stroke care, including advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and qualified staff with the special education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients. The Concord Medical Center is recognized as a Primary Stroke Center that offers advanced stroke treatment options, maintains a specialized health care team and offers community education to decrease the incidence of strokes. 

Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Each year, Get With The Guidelines program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize John Muir Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., 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, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”