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VAN DER Linden MC, VAN DER Linden N, Lam RC, Stap P, VAN DEN Brand CL, Vermeulen T, Jellema K, VAN DEN Wijngaard IR. Impact of ongoing centralization of acute stroke care from "drip and ship" into "direct-to-mothership" model in a Dutch urban area. Health Policy 2021; 125:1040-1046. [PMID: 34162490 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
When acute stroke care is organised using a "drip-and-ship" model, patients receive immediate treatment at the nearest primary stroke centre followed by transfer to a comprehensive stroke centre (CSC). When stroke care is further centralised into the "direct-to-mothership" model, patients with stroke symptoms are immediately brought to a CSC to further reduce treatment times and enhance stroke outcomes. We investigated the effects of the ongoing centralization in a Dutch urban setting on treatment times of patients with confirmed ischemic stroke in a 4-year period. Next, in a non-randomized controlled trial, we assessed treatment times of patients with suspected ischemic stroke, and treatment times of patients with neurologic disorders other than suspected ischemic stroke, before and after the intervention in the CSC and the decentralized hospitals, the intervention being the change from "drip and ship" into "direct-to-mothership". Our findings provide support for the ongoing centralization of acute stroke care in urban areas. Treatment times for patients with ischemic stroke decreased significantly, potentially improving functional outcomes. Improvements in treatment times for patients with suspected ischemic stroke were achieved without negative side effects for self-referrals with stroke symptoms and patients with other neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Christien VAN DER Linden
- Clinical Epidemiologist, Haaglanden Medical Centre (HMC), P.O. Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Naomi VAN DER Linden
- Assistant Professor, Department of Health Technology and Services Research, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Rianne C Lam
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Department, HMC, P.O. Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Peter Stap
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Department, HMC, P.O. Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Crispijn L VAN DEN Brand
- Emergency Physician, HMC and Scientific Lead at Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, P.O. Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Tamara Vermeulen
- Nurse Practitioner Neurology, Department of Neurology, HMC, P.O.Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Korné Jellema
- Neurologist, Department of Neurology, HMC, P.O. Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Ido R VAN DEN Wijngaard
- Neurologist, Department of Neurology, HMC, P.O. Box 432, 2501 CK The Hague, the Netherlands, and Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Maas WJ, Lahr MMH, Buskens E, van der Zee DJ, Uyttenboogaart M. Pathway Design for Acute Stroke Care in the Era of Endovascular Thrombectomy: A Critical Overview of Optimization Efforts. Stroke 2020; 51:3452-3460. [PMID: 33070713 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.120.030392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke is highly time dependent. Optimal organization of acute stroke care is therefore important to reduce treatment delays but has become more complex after the introduction of EVT as regular treatment for large vessel occlusions. There is no singular optimal organizational model that can be generalized to different geographic regions worldwide. Current dominant organizational models for EVT include the drip-and-ship- and mothership model. Guidelines recommend routing of suspected patients with stroke to the nearest intravenous thrombolysis capable facility; however, the choice of routing to a certain model should depend on regional stroke service organization and individual patient characteristics. In general, design approaches for organizing stroke care are required, in which 2 key strategies could be considered. The first entails the identification of interventions within existing organizational models for optimizing timely delivery of intravenous thrombolysis and/or EVT. This includes adaptive patient routing toward a comprehensive stroke center, which focuses particularly on prehospital triage tools; bringing intravenous thrombolysis or EVT to the location of the patient; and expediting services and processes along the stroke pathway. The second strategy is to develop analytical or simulation model-based approaches enabling the design and evaluation of organizational models before their implementation. Organizational models for acute stroke care need to take regional and patient characteristics into account and can most efficiently be assessed and optimized through the application of model-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willemijn J Maas
- Department of Neurology (W.J.M., M.U.), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Health Technology Assessment unit (W.J.M., M.M.H.L., E.B.), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten M H Lahr
- Department of Epidemiology, Health Technology Assessment unit (W.J.M., M.M.H.L., E.B.), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Erik Buskens
- Department of Epidemiology, Health Technology Assessment unit (W.J.M., M.M.H.L., E.B.), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands.,Department of Operations, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, the Netherlands (E.B., D.-J.v.d.Z.)
| | - Durk-Jouke van der Zee
- Department of Operations, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, the Netherlands (E.B., D.-J.v.d.Z.)
| | - Maarten Uyttenboogaart
- Department of Neurology (W.J.M., M.U.), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands.,Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Center (M.U.), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
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