Marshall Browning Hospital Recognized for Advancing Rural Stroke Care. Marshall Browning Hospital Recognized for Advancing Rural Stroke Care
Marshall Browning Hospital Recognized for Advancing Rural Stroke Care
The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition GOLD award recognizes efforts to address the unique health needs of rural communities.
Du Quoin, IL – July 30, 2026 — People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and have a 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30% increased risk for stroke mortality, according to an American Heart Association’s presidential advisory on rural health. Marshall Browning Hospital is committed to changing that.
For its efforts to optimize stroke care and reduce gaps in rural health outcomes, Marshall Browning Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition GOLD award.
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. When this happens, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery.
The American Heart Association recognizes the importance of health care services provided to people living in rural areas by rural hospitals that play a vital role in initiation of timely evidence-based care. For that reason, all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines - Stroke are eligible to receive award recognition based on a unique methodology focused on early acute stroke performance metrics.
“We are incredibly proud that our team at Marshall Browning Hospital is being recognized again for the exceptional stroke care we provide to our community every day,” said Stephanie Hall, Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Clinical Services. “While rural healthcare presents unique challenges, including longer transport times and limited resources, our commitment to delivering timely, high-quality stroke care never wavers. Every patient deserves access to excellent care, regardless of where they live, and this recognition reflects our team's dedication, expertise, and unwavering focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients.”
This recognition goes to hospitals for their commitment to acute stroke care excellence, demonstrated through performance on guideline-directed measures including intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation.
“Patients and health care professionals in Perry County face unique health care challenges and opportunities,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and co-author on the Association’s advisory on rural health. “Marshall Browning Hospital has advanced the important work of improving care for all Americans, regardless of where they live.”
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 18 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
About Marshall Browning Hospital
Marshall Browning Hospital is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit critical access hospital located at 900 North Washington Street in Du Quoin. The hospital offers a wide range of services to residents of Perry County and nearby communities. It provides 24-hour physician-staffed emergency care; advanced cardiac and stroke care; 25 private patient rooms; medical-surgical care—including inpatient, observation, and swing-bed services; surgery and infusions; imaging; cardiopulmonary services; laboratory testing; and 17 specialty clinics. The hospital also features a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center offering 13 service lines, along with the Marshall Browning Medical Clinic, Urgent Care Clinic, and East Medical Clinic. Marshall Browning Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, the leading organization for setting standards and accrediting healthcare facilities.