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American Heart Association Extends Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Initiative

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The American Heart Association (AHA) has announced a three-year funding extension of its Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator initiative through June 2028. This extension aims to continue improving cardiovascular care in rural communities, which are at a 30% higher risk of stroke and 40% more likely to develop heart disease compared to urban areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The AHA's Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator has expanded rural hospital participation in Get With The Guidelines, a proven approach to improving patient outcomes, to 430 hospitals, with over 1,000 rural hospitals engaged in the program nationwide.
  • Participating rural hospitals will receive no-cost access to Get With The Guidelines programs, additional resources, peer-to-peer support, and recognition awards focused on performance metrics developed for rural hospitals.
  • The initiative aims to address health inequities in rural communities, where Americans are at a higher risk of stroke and heart disease, and live an average of three years fewer than their urban counterparts.
  • The extension includes enhancements to the Rural Get With The Guidelines registry and reporting, dedicated quality program consultants, continued learning collaboratives, and a new Quality Improvement Challenge Scholarship.
  • The AHA has committed to tackling the complex issues of rural health care, advocating for policy changes, and supporting research to improve outcomes for rural communities.

Statistics:

  • Over 60 million people live in rural communities across the country, reliant on rural hospitals for healthcare access.
  • 30% higher risk of stroke and 40% more likely to develop heart disease in rural Americans compared to urban areas.
  • 430 rural hospitals have enrolled in the Accelerator at no cost, with over 1,000 rural hospitals engaged in over 1,500 Get With The Guidelines programs nationwide.
  • In 2025 alone, more than 650 rural hospitals earned recognition awards through the program.

Sources:

  • American Heart Association. DALLAS, August 26 -- American Heart Association issued the following news release:
  • American Heart Association. [Category: Healthcare, Health Care Services and Facilities, Artificial Intelligence]
  • Call to Action: Rural Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Circulation. 2020;141:e615--e644.
  • American Heart Association issues call to action for addressing inequities in rural health. February 10, 2020. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/american-heart-association-issues-call-to-action-for-addressing-inequities-in-rural-health
  • American Heart Association. Public Health AmeriCorps to address health inequity in rural communities. April 6, 2022. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/public-health-americorps-to-address-health-inequity-in-rural-communities

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