IU Health North nationally recognized for commitment to high-quality stroke care

Written by Charlotte Stefanski, cstefanski@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health's Metro Region

The award goes to IU Health North for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care. This is the third year in a row the hospital has earned the distinction.

IU Health North Hospital 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. This is the third year in a row the hospital has earned the distinction.

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.

“IU Health North Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” says Susanne Crotty, RN, BSN, CMSRN, Stroke Quality and Clinical coordinator. “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 Carmel and the surrounding area live longer, healthier lives.”

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 IU Health North Hospital for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” says Steven Messe, MD, 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.”

IU Health North Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll/Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.

IU Health North Hospital also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the Emergency department.

Members of the IU Health North Stroke team, pictured left to right: Lynn Cunningham, RN, clinical operations manager of the IU Health North Emergency department; Susanne Crotty, RN, IU Health North Stroke Program coordinator; Natalie Owens, RN, Emergency department; Jared Brosch, MD, medical director of the IU Health North Stroke Program

IU Health offers a variety of stroke treatment options, depending on the type of stroke and individual needs of patients. To learn more about these options and stroke symptoms, visit iuhealth.org/find-medical-services/stroke.