HCA Healthcare Continues Partnership with American Heart Association

HCA Healthcare, a US-based healthcare company, will continue its partnership with the American Heart Association. The partnership aims to improve cardiovascular health through education, research, and community outreach. HCA Healthcare operates 190 hospitals, 124 surgery centers, and 26 endoscopy centers across the US and UK, providing various healthcare services.

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: HCA), one of the nation's leading healthcare providers, has announced a continuation of its collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) through a $3.9 million funding and support agreement. The partnership, initially announced in 2022, focuses on deepening the heart-brain connection to treat, prevent, and beat stroke. The initiative, known as Getting to the Heart of Stroke™, aims to foster cardiovascular health, prevent stroke, and improve patient outcomes by enhancing cardiology and neurology collaboration, deploying evidence-based education and interventions, and addressing health disparities HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].

Since its inception, the Getting to the Heart of Stroke™ initiative has reached over 200 million individuals with evidence-informed education on AFib and stroke risk. It has expanded outreach to more than 160 community organizations, including clinics, schools, food pantries, and libraries. The initiative has also implemented intervention programs focused on controlling blood pressure, improving nutrition security, and maternal health. HCA Healthcare has provided additional support by developing accredited education programming for healthcare professionals and establishing a learning collaborative with 10 HCA Healthcare facilities to continuously improve quality of care HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].

The collaboration has yielded significant results, with participating hospitals improving stroke cause identification by 33% through care team collaboration, best practice-sharing, and increased utilization of evidence-based diagnostic testing. These findings have been presented at the AHA's national meetings, such as Scientific Sessions and the International Stroke Conference HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].

In the fourth year of the initiative, the AHA will focus on expanding and deepening community partnerships to deliver meaningful health interventions in trusted settings and empower the public to manage their stroke and AFib risk. HCA Healthcare will expand its quality improvement efforts to all 43 of its comprehensive stroke centers, utilizing research to identify and share clinical and operational best practices with a focus on preventing stroke-related disability HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].

"We are proud to continue our work with the American Heart Association and Getting to the Heart of Stroke™," said Joanne Pulles, vice president of community engagement at HCA Healthcare and president of the HCA Healthcare Foundation. "The past three years have been deeply meaningful, and we are committed to helping improve heart and brain health outcomes through our combined resources and expertise."

Steven Manoukian, MD, FAHA, senior vice president at HCA Healthcare and AHA 2024 Healthcare Volunteer of the Year, added, "As one of the largest providers of stroke and cardiovascular care in the United States, this ongoing collaboration with the American Heart Association allows us to better serve our patients, communities, and healthcare providers by improving education, prevention, care, and outcomes for stroke, as well as by identifying and treating its underlying cardiovascular causes."

Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., chief science officer, brain health and stroke, at the AHA, stated, "With continued support for both clinical innovation and community health, we can reach more people with the tools and knowledge to reduce stroke risk and improve early detection, to help ensure longer, healthier lives. Continuing this initiative means we can deepen our ability to address the heart-brain connection, an essential but often overlooked factor in stroke prevention and recovery."

About HCA Healthcare Foundation
The mission of the HCA Healthcare Foundation is to promote health and well-being and strive to make a positive impact in all the communities HCA Healthcare serves. The Foundation accomplishes this mission by providing leadership, service, and financial support to effective non-profit organizations working individually and collectively HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].

HCA Healthcare, based in Nashville, operates 191 hospitals and approximately 2,500 ambulatory sites of care in 20 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care, and improve the practice of medicine HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].

All references to “Company,” “HCA,” and “HCA Healthcare” as used throughout this document refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation Strengthen Collaboration with the American Heart Association to Advance Cardiovascular and Stroke Care, Clinical Research and Education^[1].