RICHLAND CENTER, Wis. (July 20, 2026) – The Richland Hospital and Clinics has received two American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease, helping save lives, support recovery, and reduce hospital readmissions.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease Statistics Report. Studies show patients can experience better outcomes when care teams consistently follow evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest science-backed guidelines.

“We are committed to delivering the best care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely care for heart attacks,” says Heather Thome, Cardiac and Stroke coordinator, and registered nurse. “These programs help our teams put proven science into practice every day.”

This year, The Richland Hospital and Clinics received two significant achievement awards:

Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI-ACS Gold

Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Silver

“These awards reflect The Richland Hospital’s commitment to caring for people in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, they can help advance our shared vision of better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for patients, families and health care systems.”