UNC Health Nash Marks 10th Consecutive Year of National Recognition for Heart and Stroke Care
UNC Health Nash received recognition from the American Heart Association (AHA), the American Stroke Association (ASA), and the American College of Cardiology with awards for industry-leading performance in heart and stroke care. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report named Nash ‘High Performing’ for Heart Attack, Heart Failure Stroke in its 2025–26 Best Hospitals report.
“Reaching a tenth consecutive year of national recognition is a remarkable milestone and a powerful reflection of the expertise, consistency and dedication of our heart and stroke teams,” said Dr. L. Lee Isley, president and CEO of UNC Health Nash. “Earning these distinctions year after year reflects our commitment to strengthening and advancing the care we provide while upholding the high standards our patients and communities have come to expect. This decade of recognition speaks to the expertise and consistency of our teams and the strength of the programs they have built for our region.”
UNC Nash’s awards include the AHA’s "Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease” for both Gold STEMI Receiving and Gold NSTEMI, as well as "Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award”, which includes additional recognition of Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite. All three awards include the added recognition of Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
To qualify for Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, UNC Nash had to meet specific quality measures for 12 consecutive months based on the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score” developed by the ASA, which demonstrates that hospitals are equipped to provide high-quality care for this patient population.
Additionally, UNC Nash earned the AHA “Get With The Guidelines® Resuscitation Bronze Award” in recognition of its dedication to delivering guideline-based care for in-hospital cardiac arrest and helping improve patient survival.
“This recognition reflects the tremendous coordination and preparation required to provide high-quality care when a patient experiences cardiac arrest in the hospital,” said Ryan Griffin, executive director of Critical Care at UNC Health Nash. “Our teams have worked intentionally to strengthen our resuscitation practices, and earning this award speaks to the dedication of everyone involved in recognizing an emergency, responding quickly and working together to provide the best possible care.”
The Nash Heart Center also received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR® Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, joining just 350 hospitals nationwide to earn the distinction. UNC Health Nash also remains an American College of Cardiology Accredited Primary PCI Chest Pain Center and was reaccredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for echocardiography and as an AHA/ASA Primary Stroke Center. The organization also continues to hold The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for stroke care.
To earn these awards, UNC Health Nash demonstrated sustained performance across measures related to the quality, consistency and timeliness of heart attack and stroke treatment.
“These distinctions provide independent validation of the clinical systems, protocols and decision-making that support our heart and stroke programs,” said Dr. Michael Yeung, medical director of the Nash Heart Center. “Over the past decade, we have broadened the conditions we can evaluate and treat at Nash, including heart rhythm disorders, valvular heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, acute pulmonary embolism and difficult-to-control hypertension. Our Electrophysiology Lab is now treating patients and gives us dedicated resources to provide specialized care for complex heart rhythm conditions.”
The recognitions indicate that UNC Health Nash follows clinical guidelines and treatment recommendations established by the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association.
“Ten consecutive years of recognition speaks to the lasting dedication of our cardiovascular teams and the culture of collaboration they have built,” said Velvie Zabel, director of Cardiovascular Services at UNC Health Nash. “I am incredibly proud of the physicians, nurses and team members who have continued to grow alongside our programs while remaining focused on what matters most: providing dependable, compassionate care to every patient who comes through our doors.”
To be rated as ‘High Performing’ in U.S. News “Best Hospitals” Heart Attack, Heart Failure and Stroke reports, Nash had to rank “significantly above” the national average in several qualifying categories, including patient outcomes, home recovery, patient experience and more. Out of 141 hospitals state-wide, Nash is one of only 20 hospitals recognized for Heart Attack, one of only 17 for Heart Failure, and one of only 14 for Stroke.
“For patients and families facing stroke, access to timely, coordinated care close to home matters,” said Debbie Beecham, UNC Nash stroke program coordinator. “These long-held recognitions reflect our continued focus on strengthening stroke care and advancing the health of patients throughout our service area and beyond.”
For more information on heart and stroke care, visit www.unchealthnash.org.
What are STEMI and NSTEMI?
Interventional Cardiologist Michael Yeung explains, “STEMI stands for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow to the heart with a balloon or stent. Every minute counts. NSTEMI stands for a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, which means blockages are partial.”
About UNC Health Nash
UNC Health Nash is a non-profit hospital authority comprised of four licensed hospitals totaling 345 beds: Nash General Hospital, Nash Day Hospital, Coastal Plain Hospital, and the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center. Serving Rocky Mount and surrounding areas, its mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of the community. UNC Health Nash is a managed affiliate of UNC Health Care, an integrated health care system comprised of UNC Hospitals and its provider network, UNC Faculty Physicians, UNC Physicians Network, the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine and nine other hospitals and hospital systems across the state.
About Mission: Lifeline
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.
About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its more than 56,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, insurance, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
