The American Heart Association recognized the Las Cruces hospital with a Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus award for following evidence-based stroke care guidelines.

Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - Memorial Medical Center has received national recognition from the American Heart Association for its stroke care.

The hospital received the association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, which recognizes a commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, 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.

Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to research- and evidence-based guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death.

“Memorial Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Dennis Knox, CEO of Memorial Medical Center. “Get With The Guidelines helps our teams put proven science into practice every day. Research shows this approach can support better recovery, with the ultimate goal of helping people in Las Cruces live longer, healthier lives.”

Participating hospitals qualify for the award each year by demonstrating their commitment to quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants provide education to help people manage their recovery and ongoing health at home.

“We are proud to recognize Memorial Medical Center for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, 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.”

Memorial Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, which aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes who may be at higher risk for complications receive up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized because of stroke.