Fairfax, Va. - The Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) has assembled a powerful collaboration with key stakeholder groups to develop quality measures for stroke treatment. The collaboration--which includes a mix of industry and nonprofit groups--consists of measures development expertise from Avalere Health and input from the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the National Stroke Association and the American College of Emergency Physicians. Together, these organizations will work to improve outcomes for ischemic stroke patients who have a large vessel occlusion (LVO), or "severe" stroke.
The partners, led by SNIS, have applied for a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support this evidence-based initiative. This collaborative effort was supported by a grant from Stryker Neurovascular.
"Clear quality measures in cases of stroke can help doctors and first responders make quick decisions to help their patients survive," said Dr. Blaise Baxter, a neurointerventionalist at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the President of SNIS. "Our partners bring expertise in emergency room protocols, data collection, inter-hospital transfers and the patient perspective, and will help us get a clear picture of the new measures that need to be developed and adopted to help stroke patients."
This partnership is bringing together diverse stakeholders who will identify gaps in quality of care and ensure that patients who require mechanical thrombectomy to remove a blood clot receive treatment quickly. Currently, no standard set of measures encompassing triage and treatment exist in the stroke care landscape, resulting in less than 10 percent of severe stroke patients receiving this life-saving stroke surgery.
"Stryker is pleased to support this important initiative. Development of clear quality measures will enable more stroke patients to receive treatment quickly," said Mark Paul, President of Stryker Neurovascular.
CMS is expected to provide notification of the SNIS grant application by late summer. SNIS will begin measure development immediately thereafter.
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About the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery
The Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) is a scientific and educational association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurointerventional surgery through research, standard-setting and education and advocacy in order to provide the highest quality of patient care in diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain, spine, head and neck. http://www.snisonline.org. Follow us on Twitter @SNISinfo and on Facebook @SNISOnline.