East Central Reporter

Horizon Health in Paris, Illinois, has been recognized for its performance in cardiovascular and stroke care. The hospital is among 158 sites nationwide to receive the American Heart Association (AHA) 2025 Commitment to Quality Award. This award acknowledges hospitals that show high achievement across several clinical areas in the AHA’s Get With The Guidelines program.

Alongside the Commitment to Quality Award, Horizon Health received seven additional awards for its inpatient care, ambulance service, emergency department, laboratory services, radiology services, and quality program.

“This further validates that we are doing amazing things here,” said Jay Carmichael, Horizon Health president & CEO. “It also reflects the tireless work and dedication of our staff to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. You don’t have to leave Paris, Illinois, to get high-quality care; you can get it right here.”

Get With The Guidelines is a voluntary initiative designed to help hospitals improve patient care by following current research-based treatment guidelines.

“We will build on this success by expanding our quality initiatives, reinforcing staff education, and celebrating every win, large or small, as part of our journey of continuous excellence,” said Rachel Kelley, vice president of nursing & chief nursing officer. “Our commitment remains the same – every patient, every day, deserves our very best.”

Hospitals that earned the Commitment to Quality Award achieved recognition in at least three modules within Get With The Guidelines using 2024 data. For Horizon Health, these modules included heart failure, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Within these categories:

- For heart failure care as a rural provider, Horizon Health received the Silver Award.

- In coronary artery disease care:

- Rural Coronary Artery Disease NSTE-ACS (Silver Award)

- Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring (Bronze Plus Award)

- Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI (Silver Award)

- In stroke care:

- Rural Stroke (Gold Award)

- Stroke (Silver Plus Award)

The hospital’s Emergency Medical Services also earned the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Award.

“The initial work we do for patients who require a higher level of care can be a difference-maker in the outcome,” said Samantha McCarty, Horizon Health director of emergency services. “These awards, and the programs that support them, acknowledge that and celebrate those successes.”

The Get With The Guidelines program provides hospitals with up-to-date guidelines from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and aims to improve patient outcomes for those affected by cardiovascular events since its launch in 2001.