BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — Six RWJBarnabas Health stroke centers have earned national recognition from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for delivering high-quality, evidence-based stroke care, as the health system continues to expand its footprint in Bergen County.

The announcement comes as RWJBarnabas Health is in the final stages of acquiring Englewood Hospital and continues its partnership with Bergen Hatzalah, providing Advanced Life Support paramedic coverage throughout Bergen County.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital received the health system's highest honor, earning the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus award with multiple specialty recognitions. Clara Maass Medical Center received its first-ever stroke achievement award.

"This validation of our programmatic excellence reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and evidence-based best practices in order to deliver the most timely, leading-edge stroke care to patients across New Jersey," said Dr. Robert E. Gross, senior vice president of neurosciences at RWJBarnabas Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year, with one occurring every 40 seconds.

The American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines awards recognize hospitals that consistently meet or exceed national standards for rapid stroke diagnosis and treatment, helping improve survival rates and reduce long-term disability.

The recognition is based on hospital performance data from 2024 and 2025.