BUTLER TWP — Butler Memorial Hospital has been designated a Silver Plus facility by the American Heart Association for its treatment of stroke patients by using the association’s “Get with the Guidelines” program.

This program provides guidelines for the treatment of stroke patients, including how to address coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke. More than 2,000 hospitals use one or more of these guidelines.

Hospitals are recognized by the association if at least 85 percent of their stroke patients are treated and discharged according to the heart association’s recommendations.

A Silver Plus means that a hospital has used the stroke guidelines for more than 12 months.

In addition, the state Department of Health has designated Butler Memorial as a Primary Stroke Center, which all acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania are. That means those hospitals have followed the heart association’s stroke treatment protocols.

“We are proud that the American Heart Association and the state Department of Health have chosen to recognize BMH for our achievements in their Get With The Guidelines program,” Ken DeFurio, president and CEO of Butler Health System, said in a news release.