In an effort to improve the quality of care provided to stroke patients, about half of North Carolina’s 100 hospitals on a daily basis report monitoring information to a state-funded online database – data that is then used by hospitals to improve care, reports Triangle Business Journal.
The North Carolina Collaborative Stroke Registry collects stroke-related data from 51 of the state’s 100 hospitals as a way to monitor the delivery of care to stroke patients.
The criteria used to evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of patients is based on national standards set by the Joint Commission which certifies hospitals as primary stroke centers. Because each of the participating hospitals daily uploads data to a Web site that is accessible by all, hospitals can see how they are doing and can compare their performance to other hospitals in the state.
Hospitals are measured on the quality of patient care – tests for lipid levels, administration of antithrombotic medications, use of anticoagulant therapy, stroke education for the patient and caregiver, smoking cessation education, and an assessment of rehabilitation needs.
Preliminary findings show improvements at all participating hospitals. The hope is to eventually enroll all state hospitals to create a single network and reduce the number of strokes and to provide better treatment and a more educated public.