As we turn to fall, we thought it might be helpful to compile a list of “go-to” resources for stroke program leaders to keep on hand.  Something about the change in season and the back-to-school atmosphere has me making lists and getting organized both in my personal and professional life.

Of course, stroke program leaders are familiar with The American Stroke Association.  However, several other professional organizations offer guidelines and other resources related to stroke care including the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, Association of Neurovascular Clinicians, Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, and Neurocritical Care Society. Joining list-servs through these professional organizations or regional stroke coordinator groups is also helpful.

If you are looking to expand your knowledge about healthcare quality, several organizations offer resources for free or for a small fee.  The Institute for Healthcare Improvement offers several free resources on quality, and they offer the IHI Open School with multiple courses on healthcare quality and improvement.  The courses are either free or for a small fee depending on your organization’s affiliation with the IHI.  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a large repository of free resources, including basic healthcare quality information.  The AHRQ search engine searches multiple government sites and can be helpful when researching stroke quality indicators and large data sets on stroke mortality.  They also have a great resource to assess healthcare quality and disparities by state.  

If you want to stay current on regulatory changes, sign up for e-Alerts or Advisories from stroke program certification agencies.

• The Joint Commission: https://www.jointcommission.org/ealerts/
• DNV: https://www.dnv.us/assurance/healthcare/forms/subscribe-hc.html
• ACHC (formerly HFAP): https://www.hfap.org/e-news-signup/

Another way to be sure to get timely certification agency stroke program updates is to connect with someone in your regulatory department and make sure they know what you need. For Medicare (CMS) changes in reimbursement or coverage, connect with someone in your finance department and coordinate getting any changes that impact the stroke program.

And as always, Stroke Challenges has several free resources including blogs on various stroke topics.  We also offer both e-books and on-demand webinar training on topics including how to put your best foot forward during your stroke program opening presentation for certification, mastering your data tracer and several helpful on-demand data management presentations and workshops.  Visit our website to see all that we offer!

STROKE CHALLENGES, CO-FOUNDERS

Sarah Livesay, DNP, APRN, FNCS, FAAN

Debbie Hill, BS, FAHA

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