All nine Providence hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including Providence Holy Cross in Mission Hills, have been recognized for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most advanced, high-quality treatment by meeting guidelines recommended by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

Providence Holy Cross and Providence Saint Joseph medical centers in the San Fernando Valley; Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica; Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, Providence St. Jude Medical Center, Fullerton; and Providence Mission Hospital, Mission Viejo earned the Stroke GOLD PLUS, Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Advanced Therapy recognitions. The six campuses are designated as comprehensive stroke centers, indicating the highest level of care.

To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduces the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster drug alteplase or advanced treatment to remove the obstruction causing the stroke.

Three other Providence Southern California hospitals, with primary stroke centers, also earned recognition: Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange earned the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, Stroke Honor Roll Elite; Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center earned the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, Stroke Honor Roll; Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro earned the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, Stroke Honor Roll.

“Providence hospitals work as a coordinated stroke network across Southern California to drive the highest quality of care with the latest techniques in treating patients who have suffered stroke,” said Patrice Hallak, executive director orthopedics and neuroscience for Providence Southern California. “The results are outstanding outcomes for many patients who in years past may have suffered permanent disability or even death, and today walk out of the hospital within days.”

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

A Heart Association study shows stroke patients treated at hospitals participating in the national Get With The Guidelines – Stroke program were more likely to be discharged and less likely to die after leaving the hospital than patients in non-participating hospitals.

Providence has earned a reputation for its top-quality designated comprehensive and primary stroke centers across Los Angeles and Orange counties, Hallak said. Specialists throughout the organization share expertise through a Neuroscience Clinical Institute to ensure consistent, high-level care to continually improve outcomes and prevent disability.

Providence is a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system comprising a diverse family of organizations and driven by a belief that health is a human right. With 52 hospitals, over 1,000 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing, and much other health and educational services, the health system and its partners employ more than 120,000 caregivers serving communities across seven states Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Providence Southern California is the region’s largest health system with 11 hospitals, more than 100 clinics, outpatient centers, TrinityCare Hospice and its TrinityKids Care pediatric hospice, Providence High School, home health care services, eight wellness centers, telehealth and numerous physician groups in its Southern California Region.