Pipestone County Medical Center has received an American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® achievement award for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease, helping save lives, support recovery, and reduce hospital readmissions.
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 causes of death in the United States, respectively, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. Studies show patients can experience better outcomes when care teams consistently follow evidence-based treatment guidelines.
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 science-backed guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines programs, PCMC qualified for the awards by demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving the quality of cardiovascular care.
“PCMC is committed to delivering high-quality care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely, appropriate care for heart attacks and strokes,” said Brad Burris, PCMC CEO. “Get With The Guidelines programs help our teams put proven science into practice every day, supporting better outcomes so more people in our region can live longer, healthier lives.”
This year, PCMC received the Bronze Rural Coronary Artery Disease Achievement Award.
“This reward reflects PCMC’s commitment to caring for people in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, PCMC can help advance our shared vision of better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for patients, families and health care systems.”