Geneva General Hospital and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital Recognized for Excellence by the American Heart Association

Geneva – University of Rochester Medicine Finger Lakes Health is proud to announce that Geneva General Hospital and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan have earned multiple American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards. The honors recognize the hospitals’ strong commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care for patients experiencing heart attacks and stroke, leading to better outcomes, faster recovery and fewer hospital readmissions.

Heart disease and stroke remain two of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, people living in rural communities face a 40% higher risk of developing heart disease and a 30% greater risk of dying from stroke than those in urban areas. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. experiences a heart attack or stroke.

"Providing exceptional patient care is our highest priority,” said Matthew Talbott, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs for URochester Medicine Finger Lakes Health. “These recognitions reflect the dedication, expertise and collaboration of our physicians, nurses, emergency responders and clinical teams who work every day to ensure our patients receive timely, evidence-based care close to home."

Both Geneva General Hospital and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital received the Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI and NSTE-ACS Get With The Guidelines® Gold Achievement Awards. The awards recognize excellence in the treatment of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—the most severe type of heart attack—as well as non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) through rapid response, coordinated care and adherence to nationally recognized, research-based treatment guidelines.

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital also earned the Bronze Award for Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center. This recognition highlights hospitals that do not offer 24/7 cardiac catheterization services but excel in working with emergency medical services and regional partners to ensure patients receive timely, guideline-directed care and rapid transfer when advanced cardiac intervention is needed.

For stroke care, Geneva General Hospital earned the Rural Stroke Gold Plus, along with the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital received the Rural Stroke Silver award. These awards recognized hospitals consistently follow the latest evidence-based guidelines to provide rapid diagnosis and treatment, helping save lives and reduce long-term disability.

The American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines® program is a nationally recognized quality improvement initiative that helps hospitals deliver the most up-to-date, evidence-based care for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Participating hospitals continuously measure performance against current clinical guidelines, driving ongoing improvements in patient care and outcomes.

These recognitions underscore University of Rochester Medicine Finger Lakes Health's commitment to providing advanced cardiovascular and stroke care close to home while improving the health of the communities it serves throughout the Finger Lakes.