Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center earns national recognition for stroke care
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KBSI) — Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center has earned two national awards from the American Heart Association for its commitment to providing evidence-based stroke care.
The hospital received the Get with the Guidelines–Stroke Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award and the Get with the Guidelines–Rural Stroke Bronze award, recognizing its adherence to nationally recognized stroke treatment guidelines.
According to the American Heart Association, the awards recognize hospitals that consistently follow evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes, reduce complications and lower hospital readmissions.
Hospital officials said the Stroke Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award recognizes efforts to provide up-to-date care for stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes, who are at greater risk for complications. The Rural Stroke Bronze award recognizes the hospital’s system for rapidly diagnosing and treating stroke patients in the emergency department.
“Get with the Guidelines programs help our teams put proven science into practice every day, supporting better outcomes so more people in Southeast Missouri can live longer, healthier lives,” Kim Shackleford, accreditation coordinator for Stroke, Chest Pain and Cath Lab Programs at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, said in a statement.
According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Stroke Statistics Report, stroke is the nation’s fourth-leading cause of death. The organization also reports that people living in rural communities face a higher risk of stroke-related death than those living in urban areas.
Karen E. Joynt Maddox, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee, said the awards reflect the hospital’s commitment to improving cardiovascular care through nationally recognized quality improvement measures.
Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center serves Butler County and seven surrounding counties in southeast Missouri and offers services including cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, robotic surgery and women’s health.
