HCA Florida Brandon Hospital has once again been recognized by the American Heart Association for its commitment to delivering high quality, evidence-based stroke care. The hospital has received the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, along with the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll distinctions.
These awards recognize the hospital's dedication to ensuring patients experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on the latest research and nationally recognized clinical guidelines, helping improve outcomes, reduce disability and save lives.
Stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain becomes blocked by a clot or ruptures, cutting off blood and oxygen to brain tissue. Because brain cells begin to die within minutes, early recognition and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival and recovery.
The American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines® stroke program helps hospitals nationwide ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence-based practices. Participating hospitals implement proven treatment protocols that improve the quality of stroke care while helping reduce long-term disability and prevent future complications.
"At Brandon Hospital, we are committed to delivering exceptional stroke care every minute of every day," said Dr. Allauddin Khan, neurologist and medical director of neurology at Brandon Hospital. "Receiving these recognitions again reflects the dedication of our multidisciplinary stroke team and our unwavering focus on providing timely, evidence-based treatment that gives our patients the best possible chance for recovery."
To earn the Gold Plus award, hospitals must demonstrate consistent compliance with the American Heart Association's quality measures for stroke care over a sustained period. The Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus recognition highlights the hospital's success in rapidly treating eligible stroke patients, while the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognizes excellence in caring for stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes, a condition that can increase the risk of future cardiovascular events.
"We are proud to recognize HCA Florida Brandon Hospital for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke," said Steven Messe, M.D., 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, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates, a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities."
Brandon Hospital's comprehensive stroke program brings together emergency physicians, neurologists, nurses, imaging specialists, rehabilitation therapists and other clinicians to provide rapid diagnosis, advanced treatment and coordinated follow-up care. By continuously measuring performance against national standards and embracing evidence-based practices, the hospital remains focused on delivering the highest quality care for patients throughout the Brandon community and surrounding areas.