Bayhealth Leads as Delaware Confronts Below-Average Cardiovascular Health Outcomes

Milford stands out with recognized care, despite statewide heart health challenges

July 29, 2025

Milford, DE: Delaware continues to face troubling statistics in cardiovascular health, but six hospitals across the state—including two Bayhealth campuses—are being recognized for making measurable progress in improving patient outcomes for heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association (AHA) named Bayhealth Hospital–Kent Campus and Bayhealth Medical Center–Milford Memorial Hospital among its 2025 Get With The Guidelines® honorees. The initiative promotes research-based standards of care and rewards hospitals that consistently apply them to save lives and improve recovery.

“Every 40 seconds, someone in America has a stroke or heart attack,” said Jim Murphy, executive director for the AHA in Delaware. “High-quality care should be accessible to all, and sites awarded through the Get With The Guidelines program help work toward our shared vision of health and hope for everyone, everywhere.”

In addition to the two Bayhealth sites, the AHA recognized Christiana Hospital, Beebe Healthcare, St. Francis Hospital, and TidalHealth Nanticoke.

Milford: A Local Leader in Cardiac Care

Milford, home to Bayhealth’s Milford Memorial Hospital, plays a pivotal role in Delaware’s cardiovascular care landscape. In addition to its AHA-recognized hospital, the town hosts Bayhealth Cardiology, offering advanced treatments such as cardiac catheterization, pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) procedures, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

The city is also served by Delaware Cardiovascular Associates, part of a statewide cardiology network focused on specialty care and prevention.

Statewide Health Challenges Persist

Despite these institutional bright spots, Delaware ranks below the national average in several critical cardiovascular health categories:

Metric	Delaware	U.S. Average	Note
Heart Attack Prevalence	4.8%	4.0%	Higher than national average
Stroke Prevalence	4.0%	3.0%	Elevated risk
High Cholesterol	37.7%	35.7%	Slightly elevated
High Blood Pressure	36.2%	32.5%	Elevated risk factor
Physical Inactivity	27.2%	23.7%	Contributes to heart disease

While Milford shares in many of these risk trends, its consistent recognition for quality care suggests it may be outperforming other regions in outcomes and recovery.

Community-Focused Solutions

Statewide efforts such as the Delaware Cardiovascular Health Learning Collaborative are working to improve education, access, and prevention in communities like Milford. These initiatives target early detection, better lifestyle choices, and reduction of care disparities—especially in areas most at risk.

As Delaware confronts a public health challenge that strikes every 40 seconds nationwide, the work being done in Milford and across the state’s leading hospitals signals that progress is possible—with the right investment in care, prevention, and research-based treatment.

For more information on the Get With The Guidelines program, visit heart.org/getwiththeguidelines.