PCHS ER Staff Earns Three American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE07/07/2026

Phillips County Health Systems is nationally recognized for its commitment to excellence in cardiovascular care 

The American Heart Association presents the Get With The Guidelines^® awards for proven dedication to best practices, life-saving care

Phillips County Health Systems has received 3 American Heart Association Get With The

Guidelines^® achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, 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, Phillips County Health Systems qualified for the awards by demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving the quality of cardiovascular care.

“Phillips County Health Systems 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,” Katie Petrik, Emergency Department and Education Manager. “Get With The Guidelines programs help our teams put proven science into practice every day, supporting better outcomes so more people in Phillips County and surrounding communities can live

longer, healthier lives.” 

This year, Phillips County Health Systems received these achievement awards:

• Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center - BRONZE

• Coronary Artery Disease STEMI - BRONZE

• Rural Coronary Artery Disease NSTE-ACS - SILVER

“These awards reflect Phillips County Health Systems’ 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, Phillips County Health Systems 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.”

Phillips County Health Systems is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital dedicated to providing Patient-Centered Excellence through compassionate, high-quality healthcare. Serving Phillips County and the surrounding communities, PCHS offers comprehensive services including emergency care, primary care, rehabilitation, specialty clinics, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, surgical care, and preventive health programs.

For more information about Phillips County Health Systems' cardiovascular services, the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® recognition, or local heart health resources, please contact:

Katie Petrik, RN

Phone: (785) 540-4921

For media inquiries or to learn more about the program, please contact Katie Petrik, RN, who can provide additional information about the award, cardiovascular services, and how PCHS is improving heart health for patients throughout our region. 

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.