Southwest Healthcare Inland Valley and Rancho Springs Hospitals Nationally Recognized for Their Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

Friday, July 25, 2025
Daniel Friedlich, MD, Director of Stroke Program, and Sarah Taylor, RN, BSN, Stroke Program Manager

Daniel Friedlich, MD, Director of Stroke Program, and Sarah Taylor, RN, BSN, Stroke Program Manager

Get with the guidelines gold plus stroke emblemSouthwest Healthcare Inland Valley and Rancho Springs Hospitals have received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll quality achievement award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Stroke services at Inland Valley Hospital

Learn more about the care we provide for stroke patients →

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 research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs and Inland Valley Hospitals are committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” Stated Jared Giles, Inland Valley Hospital CEO. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our communities can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home. “We are incredibly pleased to recognize Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs and Inland Valley Hospitals for their commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said 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, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for healthcare systems, families and communities.”

The hospitals also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Elite Plus 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. Furthermore, the hospitals were the recipients of the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. 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.