Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center nationally recognized for commitment to excellence in stroke care

SHREVEPORT, La. – Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability.

Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. When this happens, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery.

Get With The Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association into hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death.

“As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, our Academic Medical Center brings together advanced neurosciences expertise, highly specialized teams and the latest evidence-based protocols to deliver a higher level of stroke care for our region,” said Chris Mangin, CEO of Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center. “This recognition reflects our commitment to providing rapid, coordinated treatment when every minute matters and to helping patients across North Louisiana achieve the best possible outcomes.”

Each year, participating hospitals qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to help people manage their recovery and ongoing health at home.

“We are proud to recognize Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center for its commitment to caring for people experiencing 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, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities.”

The Academic Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Elite award, after meeting specific scientific guidelines as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award as well. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure 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 stroke.

To learn more about Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center visit ochsnerlsuhs.org/amc.

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ABOUT OCHSNER LSU HEALTH

The Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana (Ochsner LSU Health) is a partnership between Ochsner Health, the largest health system in the state of Louisiana, and LSU Health Shreveport. Ochsner LSU Health provides healthcare to more than 162,000 patients across North Louisiana. With numerous convenient locations, Ochsner LSU Health includes three acute care hospitals, multiple outpatient facilities and clinics across Shreveport, Bossier and Monroe. The system has more than 4,200 employees that work alongside the Ochsner LSU Health Physician Group of 950 physicians and residents in more than 75 specialties and subspecialties.