Kaiser Permanente San Rafael recognized for commitment to high-quality stroke and cardiovascular care

The American Heart Association is recognizing Kaiser Permanente San Rafael hospital for its commitment to providing stroke and cardiac patients with the most appropriate treatment founded in the latest scientific evidence, leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times, and fewer hospital readmissions.

Kaiser Permanente San Rafael hospital received the 2025 Get With The Guidelines®- Heart Failure Gold Plus award and the Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus award. In addition, Kaiser Permanente San Rafael also received the Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, the Target HF Optimal Honor Roll and the Target Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll awards.

In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women and people of most racial and ethnic groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, the CDC says one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease and someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds.

Get With The Guidelines is an in-hospital program designed to improve care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California is a leader in stroke and cardiac care

Death rates from heart disease and stroke in adults under age 65 are lower and dropping faster for Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California than in the rest of the United States, according to research in the American Journal of Medicine.

Researchers compared mortality data from the CDC with Kaiser Permanente Northern California data. They found that heart disease death rates among adults aged 45 to 65 fell by 48.3 percent for Kaiser Permanente Northern California members from 2000 to 2015, compared to a 23.6 percent decline nationwide. Stroke-related deaths for the same age group fell by 55.8 percent among Kaiser Permanente members compared to a nationwide drop of 26 percent.

“The high-quality care our physicians, nurses, and staff provide every day is leading to better health outcomes for our members and patients,” said Naveen Kumar, MD, physician in chief of Kaiser Permanente San Rafael. “This recognition underscores our shared commitment to improving the overall health of our community and those we serve.”

Kaiser Permanente Northern California cardiac care specialists treat a broad range of heart conditions, frequently performing life-saving procedures. Using a team-based approach to care, Kaiser Permanente’s connected system enables our cardiologists to share knowledge across locations and specialties.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s integrated model of care also allows for close affiliation between our stroke care clinicians and cardiac researchers and specialists.

“These awards recognize the dedication and hard work our clinical teams provide to ensure our patients and members are receiving exceptional care and treatment,” said Christopher Boyd, interim senior vice president and area manager of Kaiser Permanente, Golden Gate service area, which includes Kaiser Permanente San Francisco and San Rafael hospitals. “We are proud to be among the top hospitals in the U.S. who are improving the lives of patients by adhering to the latest scientific treatment guidelines.”