Good Samaritan and St. Francis Nationally-Recognized for Rapid, Quality Stroke Treatment 

Kearney & Grand Island, NE–CHI Health Good Samaritan and CHI Health St. Francis have been awarded the highest accolade recognized for stroke care by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association. The region’s designated Primary Stroke Centers both received the prestigious Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus award, along with the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. These achievements highlight the hospitals’ ongoing dedication to providing swift, high-quality stroke care that reduces stroke damage, speeds recovery and improves overall outcomes.

Nationwide, fewer than 30% of acute ischemic stroke patients receive door-to-thrombolytic therapy within the ideal 60-minute window. Good Samaritan and St. Francis reduced this time to 45 minutes for at least 75% of applicable patients and 30 minutes for at least 50%. Both hospitals also incorporate strict, evidence-based quality measures for managing patients with diabetes. 

“This recognition assures our patients that they are receiving the absolute highest standard of care available, meaning faster, more effective treatment precisely when every second counts,” says Dr. Venkata Sowjanya Kanakadandi, Stroke Medical Director, St. Francis. 

“Our community has access to the highest national standards of life-saving stroke care, right here,” says Dr. Corita Wheeler, Stroke Medical Director, Good Samaritan. “And that is a testament to our expert and dedicated team.”

Additionally, Good Samaritan received the Get With The Guidelines® Rural Stroke Gold award. The highest distinction recognized the hospital’s dedication to addressing health disparities in rural areas through evidence-based standards like rapid arrival-to-treatment times. St. Francis was ineligible as an urban hospital.

According to the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S., striking someone every 40 seconds and affecting nearly 795,000 people annually.