People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and face a 30% increased risk for stroke mortality — a gap that has grown over the past two decades. Whitfield Regional Hospital is committed to changing that.

For efforts to improve stroke care and eliminate rural health disparities, Whitfield Regional Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines- Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze award.

The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recognizes that people in rural areas face a unique set of challenges to accessing health care and that rural hospitals must work with varied patient care dynamics. For that reason, all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines – Stroke are eligible to receive award recognition focused on a unique set of performance metrics.

“We are proud that our team at Whitfield Regional Hospital is being recognized for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of people in West Alabama, who are affected by stroke, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Shelley Wood, Public Relations Director. ‘Meeting the unique needs of our community is critical to improving health outcomes.”

Learn more at heart.org/ruralrecognition.