Abstract Body: Introduction: Alabama has among the highest stroke prevalence and mortality in the US. Strokes due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) have the largest morbidity among ischemic strokes. Stroke STAT is an observational trial designed to evaluate the sequential implementation of severity-based stroke triage (SBST) across Alabama’s six Emergency Medical Services (EMS) regions. The primary aim of Stroke STAT is to improve access of patients with LVO to reperfusion therapies.
Methods: A statewide collaborative education program was an integral part of Stroke STAT. The educational program was a collaboration between an academic medical center, the state department of public health, and a multi-disciplinary association of health care professionals involved in the care of stroke patients. Key elements of the educational program included symposium hosted by each of Alabama’s six EMS regions; development of a standardized continuing medical education curriculum for Stroke Coordinators (SCs) including Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) certification, physicians, and EMS providers; and timing of symposia in each region to spur development of region-specific plans for implementation of SBST. Participants completed structured evaluations before and after each symposium. The evaluations comprised eight questions assessing the participants self-perceived knowledge competency, using a Likert Scale from “not at all” to “very much so.”
Results: A total of 137 Registered Nurses (RNs) attended the symposiums across the state, with 131 completing the post-course evaluations, achieving a 95.6% response rate. Out of all attendees 81% affirmed that “the information in this activity will help me do my job.” Additionally, 63 physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs), along with 154 EMS personnel, attended the symposiums. A total of 30 physicians and APPs completed a course evaluation achieving a 47.6% response rate. Of the providers 86.7% stated, “I will apply what I learned in this activity.” Prior to the symposium 55% of RNs reported minimal topic familiarity, post-symposium 98% of RNs and 87% of physicians and APPs reported significant improvement in knowledge.
Conclusions: A traveling statewide collaborative education program was able to reach many stroke providers across Alabama. This educational model successfully engaged SCs and EMS personnel but was less effective in engaging physicians and APPs. We plan to explore reasons for differences in provider engagement.