Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease Rural Recognition Bronze awards for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a heart attack.
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association’s “2025 Statistical Update.” And, more than one million cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), such as a heart attack and unstable angina, require hospitalization in the United States annually.
ACS cases generally fall into two categories:
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NSTEMI – Approximately 70% are classified as NSTEMI (Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction), which is caused by a partial blockage in a heart artery.
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STEMI – Remaining 30% are classified as STEMI, (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction),which is a complete blockage of a heart artery.
“When someone experiences a STEMI heart attack, American Heart Association guidelines call for specific actions performed in the hospital in a consistent and timely fashion to prevent further myocardial damage and to save lives,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, co-author on the American Heart Association’s presidential advisory on rural health. “Where you live should not determine if you live, and rural communities deserve high-quality cardiac care. Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood is recognized for consistently providing these patients with the care, guidance and medical therapy they need to give them the best chance of survival.”
The Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease Rural Recognition award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.
This year, Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood received these achievement awards:
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Get With The Guidelines – Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI – Bronze
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Get With The Guidelines – Rural Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Bronze
In addition, Hendrick Health received the following achievement awards for cardiac services:
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Get With the Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center – Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Hendrick Medical Center
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Hendrick Medical Center South
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Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Hendrick Medical Center
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Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Bronze
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Hendrick Medical Center South
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Mission Lifeline – Regional Recognition Award
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Hendrick Medical Center
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Hendrick Medical Center South
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The Mission Lifeline – Regional Recognition Award honors excellence in STEMI systems of care, from the initial 911 call and EMS transport through hospital treatment and discharge.
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About Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood
Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood in Brownwood, Texas, is a tertiary-care facility operated by Hendrick Health. Hendrick Health, based in Abilene, Texas, is directed by a local, volunteer board and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Guided by a Christian mission to serve all, Hendrick Health also operates Hendrick Medical Center and Hendrick Medical Center South in Abilene and Hendrick Clinic, a multi-specialty medical group of physicians and other advanced professional providers.
About Get With The Guidelines
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 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.