The Virginia Stroke Systems of Care: Workplan
The Workplan is a strategy document designed to improve Virginia’s “Stroke Systems of Care” by addressing component ratings and resources, as well as strengths and weaknesses in care. It is based on the ASA Policy Statement, Recommendations for Establishing Stroke Systems of Care, (Stroke, 2005) and represents an assimilation of strategies developed by the Virginia Stroke Systems Leadership Team. It is considered to be a dynamic document that can be modified as the needs and resources of Virginia’s stroke systems change.
A separate list of State Stroke Systems Plan (SSSP) Progress Markers (add link to Progress Markers) developed by national experts helps to identify and define priority areas (See Addendum for summary). Strategies in this plan have been cross-referenced with the Progress Marker list. Those Progress Markers that have the most impact should be prioritized first. They are designated with a “**” symbol.
Download the most recent Workplan.
National Progress Markers – Virginia Status
A committee was formed to review the ASA Policy Statement - Recommendations for the Establishment of Stroke Systems of Care, Stroke, 2005;36:690-703 ( Click here to view. ) and to establish metrics and evaluate progress. These State Stroke Systems Plan (SSSP) Progress Markers have been extracted from specific recommendations in the policy statement and will be utilized to determine progress within each state to implement the recommendations and improve the system toward the ideal environment for stroke care.
It is the expectation of the SSSP Progress Marker Committee that other nationally recognized metrics continue to gauge stroke care progress at the organizational and patient care levels; these markers are to maintain focus on the system components and the level of proficiency at the system coordination level.
Progress Markers demonstrate close alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Heart Disease and Stroke Program Priority Areas, both National and Virginia-specific (ref: www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/state_program/va.htm and www.cdc.gov/).
To understand the advances and integration of Virginia’s Progress markers in conjunction with the Virginia Stroke Systems Workplan, please see the following synopsis (link). Specific workplan strategies have been cross-referenced with the Progress Markers to facilitate easy identification of linkages.
Download a PDF of the Virginia Progress Markets
Fragmentation of Stroke Systems
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science and the American Stroke Association has concluded that the fragmentation of stroke systems of care contributes to the magnitude of this health problem—especially in rural and underserved communities.
The American Stroke Association (ASA), a division of the American Heart Association, says that a community’s stroke system of care must include certain fundamental components (Stroke. 2005; 36:690.) http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/36/3/690):
Map of Virginia Stroke Resources
Click here to download a high resolution PDF of this map.