Top hospitals for stroke care recognised

Australia’s top hospitals in delivery of quality, evidence-based stroke treatment and care have been recognised.

A total of seven hospitals were named as Excellence Award winners in the 2020 Australian Stroke Coalition Quality Stroke Service Awards. The Awards recognise hospitals that achieve nine best-practice stroke treatment and care benchmarks, including treatment with thrombolysis (blood clot-dissolving treatment) within 60 minutes of hospital arrival, the provision of stroke unit care, and the provision of a discharge care plan.

The top performing hospitals recognised were:

Townsville Hospital (QLD).

Rockhampton Hospital (QLD).

Echuca Regional Health (VIC).

Princess Alexandra Hospital (QLD).

Wimmera Base Hospital (VIC).

Port Macquarie Hospital (NSW).

Caboolture Hospital (QLD).

Professor Dominique Cadilhac, Data Custodian: Australian Stroke Clinical Registry & Australian Stroke Data Tool at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health congratulated the winning hospitals.

“It is encouraging to see so many hospitals dedicated to continuous improvement and achieving the best outcomes for their patients every day,” Professor Cadilhac said.

“Stroke strikes the brain and can change lives in an instant, but we know that patients with stroke, who are given timely access to high quality treatment and care, will have the best chance of survival, recovery and prevention of recurrent stroke in the longer term.”

The care being delivered by these hospitals is in line with National Stroke Guidelines and National Acute Stroke Clinical Care Standards. This is the second year that the National Quality Stroke Service Awards have been held.

Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan said it was great to see regional hospitals recognised in the Awards.

“More than 27,400 Australians will experience a stroke for the first time in their lives in 2020, many of these will be experienced by those living in regional and rural areas of our country,” Ms McGowan said.

“Regional Australians are 17 percent more likely to experience a stroke.Traditionally access to high-quality stroke treatment and care has been limited outside of our metropolitan cities, as most stroke specialists and tailored services are in metropolitan areas.

“The regional hospital Award recipients this year, show that with focus, investment and support, improvements can be made. High quality stroke treatment and care can be accessible when and where it is needed,” she said.

The 2020 awards have been based on data submitted to the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) for stroke hospital admissions in 2019.

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