Texas Health
Heartbeats and hard truths — that’s the rhythm pulsing through North Texas right now, as more than two dozen Texas Health hospitals crank the volume on their fight against America’s deadliest duo: heart disease and stroke.
In an era where statistics are as bleak as they are brutal — strokes remain the No. 5 killer nationwide, while heart failure, arrhythmias, and hypertensive disease have surged more than 80 percent — a handful of hospitals are flipping the script with tenacity, science, and soul. And the American Heart Association just handed them the mic.
Sixteen Texas Health facilities earned Get With The Guidelines® honors for heart attack treatment. Fourteen more were spotlighted for their work in stroke and diabetes care. But this isn’t just a medal count — it’s a battle cry.
“No matter the cardiovascular or neurological condition, Texas Health is committed to providing North Texans with the care they deserve, right where they live,” said Kirk King, chief operating officer of Texas Health’s Hospital Channel. “Providing necessary resources close to home is important — but offering compassionate care matters most.”
Heart disease and strokes claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined, according to a release. The American Heart Association is sounding the alarm, predicting that strokes alone will impact 20 million Americans annually by 2050. Texas Health isn't waiting around for the trend to rise.
“It’s exciting that so many of our facilities have been recognized by the American Heart Association for their commitment to providing quality care,” said Dr. Sunita Koshy-Nesbitt, a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist and Texas Health’s Hospital Channel chief quality officer. “We are fully involved in the fight.”
The Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease program zeroes in on the killers: STEMI (a full-throttle heart attack), NSTEMI (a partial blockage), and NSTE-ACS (another form of partial coronary blockage). The criteria? Not just survival — but rapid, evidence-based intervention that rewrites a patient’s story before it ends too soon.
From Fort Worth to Stephenville, receiving centers like Texas Health Fort Worth and Texas Health Plano brought home “Gold Plus” status, while referring centers like Texas Health Arlington Memorial locked in “Silver Plus.” Rural hospitals — often the first and only lifeline for miles — were honored for bridging the geographic care gap.
The Heart List: STEMI Recognition
- Gold Plus: Texas Health Fort Worth, Plano, Huguley, Allen, Denton, Heart & Vascular Arlington
- Gold: Texas Health Alliance, Frisco, Hospital Mansfield
- Silver/Silver Plus: Texas Health Dallas, Arlington Memorial
- Bronze/Bronze Plus: HEB, Southwest Fort Worth, Stephenville, Flower Mound
NSTEMI Recognition
- Gold: Fort Worth, Plano, Denton, Alliance, HEB, Heart & Vascular Arlington
- Silver: Dallas, Allen, Arlington Memorial, Flower Mound, Frisco
- Bronze: Cleburne, Stephenville
To win Get With The Guidelines - Stroke recognition, hospitals had to achieve 12–24 months of continuous excellence, demonstrating their ability to respond quickly and effectively when every second counts. Top performers didn’t just meet the mark. They crushed it.
But not every threat comes in with sirens blazing. Diabetes doesn’t scream like a heart attack or drop like a stroke. It whispers — complicating everything, from healing to outcomes. That’s why the American Heart Association also recognized 14 Texas Health locations for integrating diabetes care into stroke treatment.
Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll facilities include Texas Health Allen, Cleburne, Frisco, Fort Worth, and HEB (Hurst-Euless-Bedford), among others. Flower Mound and Heart & Vascular Arlington also earned direct recognition for pushing the standard forward.
Dr. Koshy-Nesbitt sums it up: “We are committed to providing North Texans with the comprehensive care they deserve.”
