Coastal Carolina and Hilton Head hospitals earn top stroke-care honors
Two Novant Health hospitals serving Beaufort and Jasper counties have earned top recognition from the American Heart Association for their excellence in stroke care, highlighting the availability of nationally recognized emergency treatment close to home for Lowcountry residents.
Novant Health Coastal Carolina Medical Center in Hardeeville and Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center each received the Gold Plus award from the American Heart Association’s 2025 Get With The Guidelines — Stroke program. The national initiative honors hospitals that consistently follow research-based standards of care designed to improve outcomes for stroke patients.
“These awards recognize the commitment our stroke care teams have made to meeting rigorous American Heart Association standards and creating remarkable outcomes for our patients during these life-threatening emergencies,” said Dr. John Mann, president of specialty institutes at Novant Health.
Local hospitals earn added recognition
Along with the Gold Plus awards, Coastal Carolina and Hilton Head earned additional honor roll distinctions. Coastal Carolina was recognized on the Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll for consistently treating patients quickly after arrival, and on the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll for meeting additional quality standards in caring for stroke patients who also have diabetes. Hilton Head Medical Center received the Target: Stroke Honor Roll and the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
The honor rolls reflect a hospital’s ability to provide timely treatment, an important factor since each minute a stroke goes untreated can increase the risk of long-term disability or death.
Importance for the Lowcountry
For patients in Bluffton, Hilton Head and Hardeeville, the awards highlight access to high-quality stroke care within the region. In rural and coastal communities, access to hospitals that can provide rapid, comprehensive treatment is often critical, as longer transport times to larger metropolitan hospitals can reduce the effectiveness of life-saving interventions.
The recognition means Lowcountry residents can expect nationally benchmarked stroke care in their own communities, from diagnosis and immediate treatment through recovery and rehabilitation.
According to the American Heart Association, following evidence-based care guidelines reduces death and disability from stroke. Research shows that when hospitals adhere to the standards recognized in the Get With The Guidelines program, patients recover more quickly and are less likely to return to the hospital.
For Novant Health’s hospitals in Beaufort and Jasper counties, the recognition reflects both a local and systemwide commitment to patient safety and continuous improvement.
Novant Health is one of the region’s largest health systems, with 19 hospitals and nearly 900 locations in North Carolina and South Carolina. Its network includes physician clinics, urgent care centers, outpatient facilities, imaging centers and pharmacies.
The health system has also been recognized for its industry-leading response times. It employs AI-assisted triage technology to process CT scans more quickly, allowing doctors to determine the type and severity of stroke and begin treatment sooner.
More information about Novant Health is available at: www.NovantHealth.org.
