At UVA Health's comprehensive stroke center, delivering the highest-quality healthcare to our patients is our top priority. Achieving our goals for safety and excellence means working continuously to improve the care we provide. Our teams meet regularly to evaluate and improve our care.
We believe you should have this information to help you make informed decisions about where to seek care.
Sharing information about the quality of care we provide and looking at lessons learned is an important part of developing a team focus on patient safety.
Initial Treatment After Stroke
We use the following measures to improve the emergency care we provide after a patient has a stroke.
Thrombolytics
The majority of strokes are ischemic, meaning they happen when a blood clot, a thick clump of blood, blocks a blood vessel and stops blood from reaching the brain. Tenecteplase (TNK) is a thrombolytic medication that stops an ischemic stroke by breaking up the blood clot so blood can reach the brain again. The earlier a patient receives TNK, the more likely they are to survive and make a full recovery.
Before they give a patient TNK, stroke team members have to complete several steps, including a neurological assessment, a CAT or CT scan of the brain, bloodwork, and more. Pharmacists also have to prepare the medication. Stroke team members work to complete these steps as quickly as possible so that they can give patients TNK as soon as possible. We track the percentage of patients who get to UVA Health within 2 hours of “last known well” (defined as the last time they were known to not have symptoms) and receive TNK within 3 hours of that last known well.
A higher number is better.
Carotid Endarterectomy Complications
Carotid endarterectomy is a surgery to clean the carotid artery to help prevent stroke. We measure the percentage of patients who undergo this surgery and do not have complications during or after surgery.
View carotid surgery data table
A higher number is better.
Care in the Hospital
We use the following measures to improve the care we provide stroke patients while they are in the hospital after emergency treatment.
Preventing Blood Clots
Preventing blood clots is an important way to help prevent a person from having complications or another stroke. We measure the percentage of stroke patients whose care team takes steps to prevent blood clots due to immobility (spending more time in bed and not doing their normal daily activities) during their hospital stay.
View blood clot medicine data table
A higher number is better.
About 80% of strokes happen when a blood clot or fatty deposit blocks a blood vessel and stops blood from reaching the brain. We also measure the percentage of patients who are given medications (antiplatelets, like Aspirin) to prevent another stroke by their second day in the hospital.
View stroke prevention medicine data table
A higher number is better.
Stroke Prevention Education
We also measure the percentage of patients whose care teams teach them about ways to recognize a stroke, prevent another stroke, and manage their cerebrovascular disease and their medications.
View stroke education data table
A higher number is better.
Assessing for Rehabilitation Services
Many stroke patients benefit from rehabilitation services to help them recover and prevent another stroke. We measure the percentage of patients whose care teams evaluate whether they would benefit from rehabilitation services.
View rehab assessment data table
A higher number is better.
After Discharge
We use the following measures to improve the care we provide to help patients recover and prevent another stroke after they go home from the hospital.
Patients Discharged With Blood Clot Prevention Medicine Prescription
To help prevent a second stroke, we measure the percentage of patients whose care teams give them a prescription for medications that prevent blood clots, called antithrombotic therapy, before they leave the hospital.
A higher number is better.
Irregular Heartbeat Medications
We measure the percentage of stroke patients with irregular heartbeats, called atrial fibrillation or “a-fib,” whose care teams give them a prescription for medication to help prevent blood clots from forming in the atrial chambers of the heart, called anticoagulation therapy.
View a-fib discharge data table
A higher number is better.
Cholesterol-Lowering Medications
We measure the percentage of patients whose care teams give them a prescription for statins, medications that lower cholesterol in the blood, before they leave the hospital.
View cholesterol medication data table
A higher number is better.