Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) has received the Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award from the American Heart Association. This recognition comes less than two months after RUMC was accredited as an Advanced Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center by the American Stroke Association and The Joint Commission. In addition, RUMC earned the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award for its care of stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes.
The Gold Plus award is given to hospitals that demonstrate a consistent commitment to providing appropriate treatment for stroke patients according to national guidelines. This is the seventh year in a row that RUMC’s stroke program has achieved this distinction.
Philip Otterbeck, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Chair of Medicine, and Chief of Endocrinology at RUMC, said, “This recognition from the American Heart Association is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our multidisciplinary stroke team and our commitment to delivering timely, evidence-based care that improves outcomes and saves lives. It reflects our ongoing investment in clinical excellence, innovation, and quality improvement in stroke care.”
Patients with Type 2 diabetes face higher risks after a stroke. The Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award acknowledges hospitals that provide specialized care for these patients using up-to-date practices. This marks the fourth consecutive year RUMC has received this honor.
“Stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes face a more complex recovery, and this Honor Roll recognition underscores the depth of our clinical expertise,” Dr. Otterbeck said. “This distinction highlights our team’s ability to address not just the stroke itself, but the metabolic and vascular challenges that often accompany it, ensuring a more holistic and effective approach to patient care.”
The Get With The Guidelines program helps hospitals nationwide align their patient care with current research-based standards developed by organizations such as the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Hospitals participating in this program aim to improve outcomes for stroke patients by following these guidelines consistently.
Each year, hospitals qualify for awards like Gold Plus by showing their dedication to quality treatment for stroke patients and providing education on managing health post-discharge.
“Richmond University Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Daniel J. Messina, PhD, FACHE, President and CEO of RUMC. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in Staten Island can experience longer, healthier lives and receive the highest quality care close to home.”
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States; it ranked fifth overall according to recent data from the American Heart Association (https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm). A blockage or rupture in blood vessels supplying oxygen or nutrients leads brain cells to die quickly if untreated. In 2022 alone there were over 165,300 deaths attributed directly to strokes nationwide.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Richmond University Medical Center for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” Steven Messe, MD volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group said. “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.”
In May 2025 RUMC was recognized as an Advanced Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center due its expertise performing thrombectomies—a minimally invasive procedure launched at RUMC in 2019—to remove clots from arteries or veins following strokes (https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/types-of-stroke/ischemic-stroke/treatment/thrombectomy).
RUMC serves Staten Island’s diverse community through emergency acute primary behavioral health services among others.
