ByPamela Knudson
Today at 7:00 AM
A dozen hospitals in northeastern North Dakota have been recognized by the American Heart Association for their commitment to advancing quality of care for patients with heart disease and stroke
The hospitals are among 38 statewide that have met requirements of the AHA’s “Get With The Guidelines” quality improvement programs
In northeastern North Dakota, these hospitals have been recognized:
- Altru Health System, Grand Forks
- Altru Hospital, Devils Lake
- Cavalier County Memorial Hospital, Langdon
- First Care Health Center, Park River
- Northwood Deaconess Health Center, Northwood
- Pembina County Memorial Hospital, Cavalier
- SMP Health — St. Kateri (formerly known as Presentation Medical Center), Rolla (SMP stands for Sisters of Mary of the Presentation)
- SMP Health — St. Andrew’s, Bottineau
- Sanford Hillsboro Medical Center, Hillsboro
- Sanford Medical Center Mayville, Mayville
- Towner County Medical Center, Cando
- Unity Medical Center, Grafton
Throughout the U.S., more than 3,000 hospitals take part in these AHA efforts, which help to ensure patients receive care that’s aligned with the most up-to-date, research-based treatment guidelines, according to the AHA Fargo office
At the First Care Health Center in Park River, CEO Marcus Lewis said the facility “proudly participates in the ‘Get With The Guidelines’ program consistently, and we are excited to celebrate this Gold Tier Recognition
“This top-tier commendation shows that we have surpassed national quality measures across seven domains for two consecutive years.”
First Care Health Center received the Silver Tier Recognition in 2025 and the Bronze Tier Recognition in 2024, Lewis said
“This achievement is a testament to the multidisciplinary teams, including our primary care, pre-hospital, emergency, diagnostic and care coordination departments,” he said. “Our providers, nurses, radiology technicians and pre-hospital staff wholeheartedly deserve this recognition, and it reinforces our commitment to our patients in the communities that we serve, living our mission.”
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 causes of death, respectively, in this country, according to the AHA 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report
“These conditions require swift, proven treatment to achieve the best outcomes. Through ‘Get With The Guidelines,’ hospitals use real-time data, clinical best practices and performance feedback to improve adherence to evidence-based care for conditions such as stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, cardiac arrest and coronary heart disease.”
Heart disease accounts for nearly 700,000 deaths each year in the U.S
In North Dakota, heart disease accounts for about 24% of all deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1,600 to 1,700 people die of heart disease annually, while roughly 300 to 350 people die of strokes each year
“Every 40 seconds, someone in America has a stroke or heart attack,” Michele Bolles, AHA senior vice president of quality, outcomes research and analytics, said in a news release. “High-quality care should be accessible to all, and sites awarded through the ‘Get With The Guidelines’ program help work toward our shared vision of health and hope for everyone, everywhere.”
By
Pamela Knudson
Pamela Knudson is a features and arts/entertainment writer for the Grand Forks Herald.She has worked for the Herald since 2011 and has covered a wide variety of topics, including the latest performances in the region and health topics.Pamela can be reached at pknudson@gfherald.com or (701) 780-1107.
North Dakota
Rep. Julie Fedorchak to host ‘Fedorchak Forum’ on Sept. 1
5h ago
· By Staff reports
North Dakota
Posts by mom accused in Mandan murder case prompt comparisons to Lindsay Clancy case
12h ago
· By Tasha Carvell
North Dakota
Where is the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library located? Maybe don’t ask Google Maps
1d ago
· By Tasha Carvell
Get Local
‘;
let script = document.createElement(“script”);
script.setAttribute(“data-widget-type”, “featured_jobs”);
script.setAttribute(“src”, “//widgets.recruitology.com/scripts/” + jobshqID +”.js”);
document.getElementById(“jobsHQ-hotjobs-list”).appendChild(script);
}
}
init()
Must Reads
Prep
Returning track talent boosts loaded East Grand Forks girls soccer
21m ago
· By Alex Faber
College
UND football expecting big walk-up crowd for home opener
1h ago
· By Tom Miller
Local
UND President Armacost highlights record enrollment, AI innovation in State of the University address
2h ago
· By Delaney Otto
College
8 things to know about UND’s opponent Long Island University
5h ago
· By Tom Miller
