Nineteen Sutter hospital campuses earn American Heart Association recognition for delivering timely, evidence-based care
When someone experiences a stroke or heart attack, every minute counts. Fast diagnosis, coordinated treatment and expert follow-up can make the difference between recovery and long-term disability — or even save a life.
That commitment to delivering high-quality care has once again earned national recognition for Sutter Health. Nineteen Sutter hospital campuses received honors through the American Heart Association’s 2026 Get With The Guidelines® program for excellence in stroke, cardiac, resuscitation and heart failure care.
The awards recognize hospitals that consistently achieve rigorous quality benchmarks established by the American Heart Association.
“These recognitions reflect the extraordinary teamwork of our physicians, nurses and care teams,” said Dr. William Isenberg, chief medical and quality officer for Sutter Health. “Across our hospitals, we’re committed to delivering timely, evidence-based care that gives patients the best opportunity for recovery. Receiving this recognition across so many of our campuses demonstrates our shared commitment to providing exceptional care close to home.”
What This Means for Patients
For patients and families, these honors represent more than awards. They recognize hospitals that consistently deliver care aligned with the latest clinical research and national treatment guidelines.
Across Northern California, Sutter’s integrated network offers patients access to comprehensive emergency services, certified stroke centers, advanced heart and vascular care, telestroke, Northern California’s only Mobile Stroke Unit, rehabilitation services and coordinated follow-up care. Together, these resources help patients receive specialized treatment as quickly as possible while remaining close to their families and support systems.
National Recognition for Stroke Care
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States, making rapid diagnosis and treatment essential.
“With 17 certified stroke centers and innovative programs like our Mobile Stroke Unit, we’ve built a program that brings specialized care to patients across Northern California,” said Dr. Nobl Barazangi, vascular neurologist with Sutter West Bay Medical Group and chief of stroke for Sutter Health’s Advanced Neuroscience Service Line. “That approach helps extend advanced stroke services into both rural and urban communities, improving access to timely treatment, rehabilitation and ongoing care that can help reduce the risk of future stroke and vascular events.”
Several Sutter hospitals earned the American Heart Association’s highest levels of stroke recognition for excellence in rapid treatment, advanced therapies and quality improvement. In addition, four Sutter hospitals received Rural Stroke Gold recognition for their commitment to providing high-quality stroke care in communities where access to specialty services can be more limited.
Improving Care for Heart Disease and Cardiac Emergencies
Sutter hospitals also earned national recognition for excellence in treating heart attacks, heart failure and in-hospital cardiac arrest.
Six hospital campuses received awards through the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease program for providing high-quality care to patients experiencing ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), one of the most serious types of heart attack. Additional hospitals were recognized for excellence in heart failure care, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve recovery, reduce hospital stays and help patients spend more healthy days at home.
Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital also earned recognition for excellence in resuscitation care, reflecting the hospital’s commitment to rapid response, high-quality CPR, patient safety and coordinated post-cardiac arrest care.
“Earning this recognition reflects the dedication of our physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nurses and care teams to deliver exceptional resuscitation care,” said Dr. Jonathan Peng, a cardiologist who practices at Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital. “Most importantly, it represents better outcomes and greater peace of mind for the patients and families we serve.”
Specialized Care for Quick Recovery
Seventeen Sutter hospitals also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ recognition, highlighting their commitment to improving care for hospitalized patients with Type 2 diabetes following a heart attack. Because diabetes can increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, these programs help ensure patients receive the latest evidence-based treatment and education to support their recovery.
A Commitment to Continuous Improvement
The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® program recognizes hospitals that demonstrate ongoing dedication to following evidence-based clinical guidelines, measuring performance and continually improving patient outcomes.
For Sutter, these recognitions reflect the strength of an integrated care network where physicians, nurses, emergency responders, specialists and rehabilitation teams work together to provide coordinated care across communities throughout Northern California.
“From severe heart attacks to heart failure, these awards reflect a shared commitment to following evidence-based practices that improve patient outcomes,” said Dr. Michael Pham, chair of Sutter Health’s Advanced Heart & Vascular Service Line. “They highlight the work of Sutter’s heart and vascular care teams, including more than 325 physicians, who support patients at every stage of their journey.”
2026 American Heart Association Recognition Highlights
- 19 Sutter hospital campuses recognized for excellence in stroke, heart, resuscitation and heart failure care
- 17 certified stroke centers across Northern California
- Four hospitals earned Rural Stroke Gold recognition
- Seventeen hospitals recognized for excellence in caring for patients with Type 2 diabetes following heart attack
- Six hospitals recognized for excellence in treating STEMI
- Continued investment in advanced services including telestroke technology, neurovascular care, rehabilitation and California’s first Mobile Stroke Unit
A complete list of Sutter hospitals and their 2026 American Heart Association recognitions appear below.
Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes
- Sutter’s CPMC – Davies Campus
- Sutter’s Eden Medical Center
- Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento
- Sutter Roseville Medical Center
Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes
- Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes
- Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center – Summit Campus
- Sutter’s CPMC – Van Ness Campus
- Sutter Davis Hospital
- Sutter’s Memorial Medical Center
- Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
- Sutter Tracy Community Hospital
Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes
- Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital
- Sutter Lakeside Hospital
- Sutter’s Memorial Hospital Los Banos
- Sutter’s Novato Community Hospital
- Sutter Solano Medical Center
Rural Stroke Gold
- Sutter Amador Hospital (improved from Silver in 2025)
- Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital
- Sutter Lakeside Hospital (improved from Silver in 2025)
- Sutter’s Memorial Hospital Los Banos
Target: Type 2 Diabetes™
- Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center – Summit Campus
- Sutter Amador Hospital
- Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital (new recognition in 2026)
- Sutter’s CPMC – Davies Campus
- Sutter’s CPMC – Van Ness Campus
- Sutter Davis Hospital
- Sutter’s Eden Medical Center
- Sutter Lakeside Hospital (new recognition in 2026)
- Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento
- Sutter Memorial Hospital Los Banos
- Sutter’s Memorial Medical Center
- Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
- Sutter’s Novato Community Hospital (new recognition in 2026)
- Sutter Roseville Medical Center
- Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
- Sutter Solano Medical Center
- Sutter Tracy Community Hospital
Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation
- Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
Bronze Patient Population: Adult and Target Survival Patient Population: Adult
- Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease
- Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center – Summit Campus (Bronze)
- Sutter’s CPMC – Van Ness Campus (Gold Plus)
- Sutter Delta Medical Center (Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes)
- Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes)
- Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Silver Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes)
- Sutter Roseville Medical Center (Bronze Plus)
Heart Failure Care
- Sutter’s CPMC – Van Ness Campus (Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes)
- Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes)
- Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Heart Failure Silver Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes)
