Paragould, AR – Contributed – Baptist Memorial Hospital-Paragould has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines — Stroke Bronze, Rural Stroke Silver, Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Gold, Rural Coronary Artery Disease NSTE-ACS Bronze and Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Bronze Plus awards for delivering high-quality stroke and cardiovascular care to patients in Paragould and surrounding rural communities.

People living in rural communities have an average life expectancy three years shorter than those in urban areas and face a 30% higher risk of dying from stroke, according to an American Heart Association presidential advisory on rural health.

That gap has widened over the past two decades, and the hospital is committed to helping change that.

| ADD US ON GOOGLE NEWS: Click here to see more local news from Jonesboro Right Now

“Baptist Memorial Hospital-Paragould’s cardiovascular team is committed to advancing heart and stroke care for our neighbors, giving them the best chance for recovery and survival. We have made it a priority to ensure the challenges rural hospitals face never compromise the standard of care our patients receive. Rural communities deserve high-quality stroke and heart care, and I am proud of our team’s commitment to excellence,” said Melanie Edens, CEO and Administrator, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Paragould

Stroke is the No. 4 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 is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. Without prompt treatment, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, reducing disability and supporting recovery.

The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines — Rural Stroke Gold Quality Achievement Award recognizes hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines, helping save lives and reduce disability.

“Patients and health care professionals in Paragould face unique health care challenges and opportunities,” said Dr. Karen E. Joynt Maddox, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and co-author of the Association’s rural health advisory. “Baptist Memorial Hospital-Paragould has advanced the important work of improving care for all Americans, regardless of where they live.”

Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 18 million patients since 2001. For more information, click here.

Baptist Paragould provides progressive, compassionate health care to residents throughout Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. A 129-bed hospital with eight medical clinics, inpatient rehabilitation services, multiple medical specialties and a 91-bed assisted living facility, the hospital has received multiple recognitions for its cardiovascular and women’s health care.

Formerly named Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, Baptist Paragould merged with Baptist Memorial Health Care in March 2026. To learn more, visit its website and follow it on Facebook.

| DAILY BRIEF: Sign up for the Jonesboro Right Now Daily Brief Newsletter