Communities

Hospitals honored for stroke care

WESTON -- Mon Health Preston Memorial Hospital and Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital have been awarded The American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Rural Recognition Silver Award in recognition of their continuous efforts to address the unique health needs of the rural communities they serve.

The American Heart Association, the world's leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recognizes the importance of health care services provided to people living in rural areas by rural hospitals that play a vital role in initiation of timely evidence-based care.

Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Rural Recognition Silver Award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward acute stroke care excellence demonstrated by composite score compliance to guideline-directed care for intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation.

"As a critical access hospital, we understand the importance of providing timely, high-quality care to each of our patients, especially in the case of a stroke where timing is everything," said Melissa Lockwood, Chief Administrative Officer of Mon Health Preston Memorial Hospital. "We are honored to have received this prestigious award in recognition of our commitment to providing excellence in stroke care and will continue to strive to provide the best for our patients."

"At Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital, we are proud to offer close-to-home, nationally recognized stroke care to patients in Weston," said Kevin Stalnaker, Chief Administrative Officer of Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital. "The Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Rural Recognition Silver Award is a testament to our staff's dedication to providing top-notch care to each patient that comes through our doors."

In 2024, Mon Health Medical Center also received national stroke recognitions. The hospital was awarded the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Silver quality achievement award for its 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.

Additionally, the hospital received certification from Det Norske Veritas (DNV) as an Acute Stroke Ready Center, affirming the hospital's readiness to care for stroke patients. DNV is an independent expert in assurance and risk management that sets industry standards for organizations around the world, including healthcare entities. Both Mon Health Preston Memorial Hospital and Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital are also certified by the DNV as Acute Stroke Ready Centers.

To learn more about Mon Health System, visit MonHealth.com.

Mon Health System, part of Vandalia Health, is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals in North Central West Virginia that works together to make healthcare more accessible and affordable to the communities it serves. It includes six hospitals - its flagship, Mon Health Medical Center in Morgantown; Mon Health Preston Memorial Hospital in Kingwood; Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital in Weston; Mon Health Marion Neighborhood Hospital in White Hall; affiliate, Grafton City Hospital in Grafton; affiliate, Highland-Clarksburg Hospital in Clarksburg; and The Village at Heritage Point. Mon Health System is also part of many Joint Ventures such as Mon Health - DASCO Home Medical Equipment in Morgantown and Weston, Select Specialty Hospital, Monongalia EMS, Intermed Labs, Encompass, Healthworks, and the Mon Health Center for Outpatient Surgery to preserve choice, improve access and ensure the highest quality of care. For more information, visit monhealth.com.

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.