RWJBarnabas Health recently announced that six of its medical centers have captured American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) 2026 Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards. The accolades highlight the network’s dedication to delivering cutting-edge, evidence-based stroke care and exceptional clinical outcomes.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) secured the highest level of recognition awarded by the AHA/ASA for stroke care, while Clara Maass Medical Center earned its first-ever stroke achievement award in the network.
“This validation of our programmatic excellence reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and evidence-based best practices in order to deliver the most timely, leading-edge stroke care to patients across New Jersey,” Dr. Robert Gross, senior vice president of Neurosciences at RWJBarnabas Health and Chair of Neurosurgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said.
Award-winning hospitals across the network
The following RWJBarnabas Health facilities were honored for meeting or exceeding rigorous standards designed to reduce disability and improve patient survival based on performance data from 2024–2025:
- Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Jersey City Medical Center: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Community Medical Center: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Clara Maass Medical Center: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Bronze
A Seamless Network of Lifesaving Care
Operating New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive stroke network—featuring 10 primary stroke centers and two advanced comprehensive stroke centers accredited by The Joint Commission—RWJBarnabas Health provides rapid intervention, advanced neurointerventional capabilities, and specialized multidisciplinary teams.
“Providing exceptional stroke care requires a high-performing culture that enables seamless coordination at every touch point during a patient’s journey, from the pre-hospital emergency response through recovery and rehabilitation,” Michael Prilutsky, executive vice president of RWJBarnabas Health, said. “As the largest stroke network in New Jersey, this level of clinical excellence translates into thousands of lives saved, as well as quality-of-life preserved, every year.”
The AHA/ASA Get With The Guidelines program helps hospitals nationwide align patient care with the latest research-backed guidelines, minimizing long-term disability and preventing mortality associated with cardiovascular and vascular events.
