OCONTO FALLS, Wis. — HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Gold award. This recognition is given for the hospital’s commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe and dangerous type of heart attack.
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 causes of death in the United States, respectively, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. Studies show patients can experience better outcomes when care teams consistently follow evidence-based treatment guidelines.
“HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital is committed to delivering high-quality care by following the latest treatment guidelines to ensure timely, appropriate care for patients having heart attacks,” said Colleen Koski, Chief Administrative Officer, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital. “Get With The Guidelines programs help our teams put proven science into practice every day, supporting better outcomes so more people in Oconto Falls and surrounding communities can live longer, healthier lives.”
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 science-backed guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines programs, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital is qualified for the awards by demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving the quality of cardiovascular care.
“This award reflects HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital’s commitment to caring for people in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, they can help advance our shared vision of better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates— a win for patients, families and health care systems.”
For more information about HSHS, visit hshs.org.
