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Published on July 30, 2025

Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital Nationally Recognized for Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

(Hyannis, MA - July 30, 2025) – Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital have received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital have again received the Gold Plus Award and were named to the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

Both hospitals also received the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, meaning the time to IV thrombolytic therapy was within 60 minutes in 50% or more acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV-tPA.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

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 research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“Our hospitals are committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest stroke treatment guidelines and patient education. This honor reflects the dedication of our teams in delivering advanced, timely and evidence-based stroke care,” says Dr. William Agel, chief medical officer of Cape Cod Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare.

“This national recognition demonstrates our ongoing focus on providing quality and safe care for stroke patients. The application of these guidelines helps to ensure more people in our community can experience longer, healthier lives and reinforces our commitment to providing industry-leading care, close to home,” says Dr. Theodore Calianos, chief medical officer of Falmouth Hospital.

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital for their commitment to caring for patients with 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, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

To learn more about stroke prevention and awareness, visit https://www.capecodhealth.org/medical-services/stroke-awareness/ 

About Cape Cod Healthcare

Cape Cod Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare services for residents and visitors of Cape Cod. With more than 600 physicians, over 5,000 employees and over 250 volunteers, Cape Cod Healthcare is comprised of two acute care hospitals, a Level III trauma center, the Cape’s leading provider of homecare and hospice services (VNA), seven urgent care centers, a primary and specialty care network, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility, and numerous health services and programs. For more information, visit the Cape Cod Healthcare website at www.capecodhealth.org.

About Get With The Guidelines®

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 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.