STROKE INITIATIVE

Sanford Tracy Medical CenterPresenter:

Jeri Schons, CNO

PROJECT TEAM

• The Stop Stroke initiative moved forward with the development of a multidisciplinary project team. Team members included:

Stroke Team Members

• Physician • Physician Assistant • Quality/PI • Nursing • CT • Pharmacy• Administration• Safety

Stroke Team Members

• Home Care• Medical Clinic• Rehabilitation

Services• Emergency

Medical Services • Marketing

ALGORITHM

ADDITIONAL EXCLUSION

Criteria:4.5 Window3. Greater than 80 y.o.4. Currently on warfarin5. NIHSS greater than 226. History of both prior stroke and diabetes

Pre-hospital Challenges:

• Delays in patient arrival at our facility

• Use of stroke scale by ambulances

INITIAL COMMUNITY AND STAFF AWARENESS

• Education/CommunicationNumerous avenues were used to educateand raise the awareness of stroke symptoms, early treatment and prevention.

Communication tools used included:

• Employee and community newsletters

• Awareness stickers• Bulletin board postings• E-mail • Press releases• Posters• Counter Cards• Magnets• Brochures• All staff meetings

• Additional tele-conference and audio conference participation

• Blood pressure screenings

• Community Education programs

• Live radio programs• Local access cable• Website• Presentations at Tri-

community Health Fair• Developed a 30 minute

video

Continuing Community and Hospital Education

Stroke Team re-education efforts• Local newspaper • CEO articles • Hospital newsletter• Presentation at Community BBQ• Grocery store bag stuffers • Re-present video

Ongoing Ambulance Education

• Refresher education for volunteer ambulance personnel (Cincinnati Stroke Scale)

• Host education event for all area ambulance services; featured speaker: Sanford Health Neurologist Champion.

Provider Involvement

• Primary prevention• Re-inforce prompt use of

ER

In-Hospital Challenges:

•On call CT Tech response•CT over-read turnaround

time

TEAMWORK = SUCCESS

Teamwork has produced a successful initiative that we believe could be

the basis for saving lives and lifestyles.

STROKE

Sanford Tracy and Sanford Westbrook

* COMING TOGETHER IS THE BEGINNING

* STAYING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS

* WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS

Henry Ford

THANK YOUMore information is available on conference web site