Stroke Care Centers in Montana Recognized for Excellence in Post-Acute Care
In a bid to enhance stroke care and improve patient outcomes, twelve centers in Montana have been acknowledged for their participation in Mission: Lifeline Stroke by the American Heart Association. This initiative aims to elevate the standard of care based on guidelines for stroke patients, with the ultimate goal of enhancing and prolonging lives.
The Impact of Stroke on Patients in the US
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of severe long-term disability in the United States, with approximately 795,000 individuals experiencing a new or recurrent stroke each year, as reported in the American Heart Association’s 2023 statistical update. Participation in the American Heart Association’s post-acute care initiative can assist centers in supporting faster and more effective recovery through standardized coordination, adherence, and evidence-based care implementation.
Evidence-based interventions for rehabilitation and secondary prevention play a crucial role in enhancing recovery post-stroke and reducing secondary complications. However, the rehabilitation experience, care processes, and educational resources vary among centers providing post-acute care. To address these gaps, the American Heart Association developed quality standards based on the 2016 Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Guidelines for Adults to ensure consistent and effective care delivery.
Enhancing Stroke Care Through Post-Acute Initiatives
The post-acute care initiative provides a framework to help centers improve care in alignment with the rigorous science-based requirements of the American Heart Association for stroke rehabilitation. This includes program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management, and quality improvement.
Gary W. Myers, MS, National Quality Initiatives for Healthcare, Quality, Outcomes, Research, and Analytics (QORA) at the American Heart Association, emphasized the benefits of participating in this program, stating, “When evidence-based processes are in place throughout each phase of care, patients have the best chance of achieving positive outcomes. This initiative assures patients and their loved ones that participating centers adhere to these important best practices.”
Facilities participating in the post-acute care initiative receive a participation stipend, site-specific quality improvement support, and process improvement proposals related to quality standards for stroke recovery, rehabilitation, and secondary prevention. These facilities also have the opportunity to engage in a learning collaboration, working with stroke rehabilitation experts to develop tools, share, and create best practices. This participation enhances collaboration between post-acute care facilities and other stakeholders involved in care, including hospitals and outpatient providers.
Recognizing Excellence in Stroke Care Centers
The sites that have received achievement awards have committed to establishing a specific stroke rehabilitation program, providing education on it to all staff members, implementing evidence-based protocols and policies, and continually improving quality.
The centers receiving achievement awards are:
– Beartooth Billings Clinic, Red Lodge
– Glendive Medical Center, Glendive
– Logan Health Inpatient Rehabilitation, Kalispell
– Roundup Memorial Healthcare, Roundup
– Sidney Health Center, Sidney
– Stillwater Billings Clinic, Columbus
The centers receiving recognition awards are:
– Bitterroot Health-Daly Hospital, Hamilton
– Central Montana Medical Center, Lewistown
– Copper Ridge Health and Rehab Center, Butte
– Logan Health Brendan House Kalispell
– Missoula Health and Rehabilitation, Missoula
Advancing Stroke Care Through Collaborative Efforts
Mission: Lifeline Stroke serves as the community initiative of the American Heart Association to develop care systems that enhance outcomes for stroke patients. With the support of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust grant, the post-acute care program for stroke aims to apply the quality standards of the American Heart Association in rehabilitation centers in Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota. The initiative strives to provide all patients with the best chance of leading an independent life after a stroke.
Building upon the Mission: Lifeline Stroke Montana initiative launched in 2020, the goal of Mission: Lifeline Stroke is to unite hospitals, emergency medical services, first responders, rehabilitation facilities, communication and regulatory agencies, state and local governments, and payers to create a proactive stroke care system that saves and improves lives.
In conclusion, the recognition of stroke care centers in Montana for their commitment to enhancing post-acute care standards is a significant step towards improving patient outcomes and ensuring consistent, evidence-based rehabilitation practices. By fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and implementing quality improvement initiatives, these centers are paving the way for better stroke care delivery and ultimately, improving the lives of stroke survivors.
