Providence Saint John’s Health Center earns national recognition for stroke care
Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica has worked to distinguish itself in the competitive stroke space across the Los Angeles area, and it’s paying off. The hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Stroke Gold Plus, Target Stroke Elite Award Get with the Guidelines stroke certification annually since 2019, which was only the second year that the hospital’s stroke program was in place.
Only 543 hospitals across the U.S. achieved this highest level of recognition from the AHA for 2025. Out of 6,146 hospitals across the U.S., slightly more than 800 have earned this recognition for multiple years.
“It’s difficult to earn the award for one year, much less several years running,” said Lisa Arnold, RN, stroke program manager for Providence Saint John’s. “It speaks to our commitment to comprehensive stroke care for all patients.”
The award recognizes the stroke program’s consistent achievement in delivering exceptional care to complex stroke patients. The program has demonstrated outstanding performance year after year with top-tier door-to-treatment times, reflecting its commitment to rapid, lifesaving interventions.
Additionally, the team has shown exemplary dedication to managing strokes in our diabetic population, ensuring comprehensive and compassionate care for all patients.
“This wouldn’t be possible without our amazing clinicians and caregivers, who are completely dedicated and engaged with the program,” Arnold said. “We also owe a lot to our emergency medical services partners who work hard to get stroke patients to us as quickly as possible. The Gold Star certification is really a community achievement.”
Among 52 stroke centers in the L.A. region, Saint John’s is one of only 26 comprehensive stroke centers certified to deliver the highest level of care using advanced techniques and technologies led by a skilled multidisciplinary team.
The program stands out not only for clinical excellence but also for its proactive community education on stroke risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and atrial fibrillation.
“Education is at the forefront of ensuring that our patients don’t have a stroke,” Arnold said. “We receive this award for our patient care, but one of our goals is to extend ourselves out to the community with education, and then to make sure our patients know we’re the hospital they want to come to for the best care.”
With regard to patients with diabetes, Arnold said the education component focuses on what the patient can do to prevent a second stroke.
The stroke program is part of the broader neurosurgical care ecosystem led by the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, which includes:
- Multidisciplinary centers of excellence in minimally invasive pituitary tumors and neuroendocrine care.
- The fastest growing cochlear implant program in the country for both pediatric and adult hearing restoration.
- Designation as a North American Skull-Base Society Multidisciplinary Center of Distinction.
- Many of our physicians scored in the top 2% nationally in patient experience.
- One of only five U.S. hospitals, and the first in California, to use the Zeiss CONVIVO microscope to distinguish healthy brain tissue from tumors during minimally invasive procedures.
“With many options in neuroscience care across L.A., our patients choose Saint John’s for our stellar medical staff, top-tier caregivers and innovative technology. We offer a unique in-the-market care experience, coordinated across disciplines for shorter lengths of stay and optimal patient outcomes,” said Joni Chroman, executive director of Providence Saint John’s Neuroscience Institute. “We’re honored to deliver personalized and exceptional care in a community hospital setting.”
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