Implementation of the Helsinki Model at West Tallinn Central Hospital

Stroke nurse-led intravenous thrombolytic therapy strategy for ischemic stroke based on timeline process: A quality improvement program from China

Objective

Early thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke within the therapeutic window is associated with improved clinical outcomes. This study investigated whether optimizing intravenous thrombolytic (IVT) therapy strategies for stroke could reduce treatment delays.

Methods

To reduce delays in IVT therapy for ischemic stroke, a series of quality improvement measures were implemented at a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, from June 2021 to August 2023, which included developing a timeline process management system, forming a nurse-led stroke process management team, providing homogeneous training, standardizing the IVT therapy process for ischemic stroke, and introducing an incentive policy. During the pre- (from June 2021 to February 2022, group A) and post- (from March to November 2022, group B1; from December 2022 to August 2023, group B2 [implementation of an additional incentive policy]) of the implementation the strategy, the door-to-computed tomographic angiography (CTA) time (DCT), CTA time, neurology consultation to consent for IVT, CTA-to-needle time (CNT), and door-to-needle time (DNT), the percentage of people who underwent CTA within 20 min, 15 min, and 10 min and DNT within 60 min, 45 min, and 30 min were collected and compared.

Results

Following the implementation of the standardized IVT process management strategy for stroke, the DNT for group B1 and group B2 were 30 (24, 44) min and 31 (24, 41) min, respectively, both significantly lower than the 46 (38, 58) min in group A (P < 0.001); the median DCT were both 13 min in group B1 and B2 lower than 17min in group A (P < 0.001); the median CTA were 12 min in Group B1 and 9 min in Group B2 lower than 14 min in group A (P < 0.001); similar results were observed during the neurology consultation to obtain consent for IVT and CNT. Compared with group A, the proportion of DCT ≤ 20 min, 15 min, and 10 min was higher in groups B1 and B2 (P < 0.05), and the same result was observed at DNT ≤60 min, 45 min, and 30 min (P < 0.05). However, the additional incentive policy did not significantly differ between Group B2 and Group B1.

Conclusions

Optimizing IVT therapy for ischemic stroke is a feasible approach to limit the DNT to 30 min in ischemic stroke, significantly reducing delays within the therapeutic window and increasing the number of patients meeting target time segments. Additionally, generating a timeline for the IVT therapy process by scanning positioning quick response codes was a significant breakthrough in achieving the informatization of IVT quality management for stroke.

Global stroke statistics 2023: Availability of reperfusion services around the world

BACKGROUND

Disparities in the availability of reperfusion services for acute ischemic stroke are considerable globally and require urgent attention. Contemporary data on the availability of reperfusion services in different countries are used to provide the necessary evidence to prioritize where access to acute stroke treatment is needed.

AIMS

To provide a snapshot of published literature on the provision of reperfusion services globally, including when facilitated by telemedicine or mobile stroke unit services.

METHODS

We searched PubMed to identify original articles, published up to January 2023 for the most recent, representative, and relevant patient-level data for each country. Keywords included thrombolysis, endovascular thrombectomy and telemedicine. We also screened reference lists of review articles, citation history of articles, and the gray literature. The information is provided as a narrative summary.

RESULTS

Of 11,222 potentially eligible articles retrieved, 148 were included for review following de-duplications and full-text review. Data were also obtained from national stroke clinical registry reports, Registry of Stroke Care Quality (RES-Q) and PRE-hospital Stroke Treatment Organization (PRESTO) repositories, and other national sources. Overall, we found evidence of the provision of intravenous thrombolysis services in 70 countries (63% high-income countries (HICs)) and endovascular thrombectomy services in 33 countries (68% HICs), corresponding to far less than half of the countries in the world. Recent data (from 2019 or later) were lacking for 35 of 67 countries with known year of data (52%). We found published data on 74 different stroke telemedicine programs (93% in HICs) and 14 active mobile stroke unit pre-hospital ambulance services (80% in HICs) around the world.

CONCLUSION

Despite remarkable advancements in reperfusion therapies for stroke, it is evident from available patient-level data that their availability remains unevenly distributed globally. Contemporary published data on availability of reperfusion services remain scarce, even in HICs, thereby making it difficult to reliably ascertain current gaps in the provision of this vital acute stroke treatment around the world.

Fast track to stroke unit for patients not eligible for acute intervention, a case-control register study on 1066 patients

Stroke patients not eligible for acute intervention often have low priority and may spend long time at the emergency department (ED) waiting for admission. The aim of this retrospective case-control register study was to evaluate outcomes for such "low priority" stroke patients who were transported via Fast Track directly to the stroke unit, according to pre-specified criteria by emergency medical service (EMS). The outcomes of Fast Track patients, transported directly to stroke unit (cases) were compared with the outcomes of patients who fulfilled these critera for Fast Track, but instead were transported to the ED (controls). In all, 557 cases and 509 controls were identified. The latter spent a mean time of 237 min in the ED before admission. The 90-day mortality rate was 12.9% for cases and 14.7% for controls (n.s.). None of the secondary outcome events differed significantly between the groups: 28-day mortality rate; death rate during hospitalisation; proportion of pneumonias, falls or pressure ulcers; or health-related outcomes according to the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. These findings indicates that the Fast Track to the stroke unit by an EMS is safe for selected stroke patients and could avoid non-valuable time in the ED.

Nursing and Institutional Responsibilities for In-Hospital Stroke

In-hospital stroke events occur less often than stroke outside of a health care facility; yet, the need for timely evaluation and treatment is the same regardless of geographic location. During hospitalization, nurses are generally the first to recognize possible symptoms of stroke and activate emergency protocols. Such actions in response to changes in patient condition are critical to optimal patient outcomes. A recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association notes that patients with in-hospital stroke are likely to experience delayed recognition of symptoms, less likely to receive intravenous thrombolysis therapy, and have worse outcomes compared with community-occurring stroke. The aim of this article is to expand upon that scientific statement to assist nurses and acute care hospitals in the United States and elsewhere with similar health care systems to create evidence-based, nurse-driven protocols for in-hospital stroke recognition and management.