Target Stroke

WHAT IS TARGET STROKE?

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) recognized the substantial and significant opportunity to assist hospitals and healthcare professionals with improving quality of care for stroke patients.

Target:  Stroke was developed as an extension of Get With the Guidelines-Stroke in early 2010 to specifically focus nationwide efforts in reducing IV rtPA door-to-needle (DTN) times and further support the information translation and educational needs of healthcare providers caring for this patient population.

WHAT ARE THE TARGET STROKE BEST PRACTICE STRATEGIES?

Briefly stated, the Target Stroke Best Practices Strategies are:

1. Advance Hospital Notification by EMS
2. Rapid Triage Protocol and Stroke Team Notification
3. Single Call Activation System
4. Stroke Tools
5. Transfer Directly to CT Scanner
6. Rapid Acquisition and Interpretation of Brain Imaging
7. Rapid Laboratory Testing (including point-of-care testing of indicated)
8. Mix IV rtPA Medication Ahead of Time
9. Rapid Access to IV rtPA
10. Team-based Approach
11. Prompt Data Feedback

WHAT ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT TARGET STROKE:

In addition to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, many other professional healthcare organizations serve as co-supporters of Target: Stroke including,

• The American Academy of Neurology
• The Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry
• The National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP)
• The National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO)
• The Brain Attack Coalition
• American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• American Association of Neurological Surgeons
• American Society of Neuroradiology
• Congress of Neurological Surgeons
• National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
• NeuroCritical Care Society
• The Stroke Belt Consortium

NATIONAL STROKE PROGRAM RECOGNITION – 2023

American Health Association’s Get with the Guidelines^SM Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll, Advanced Therapy, Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Target: Stroke Recognition

Target: Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Plus:

Time to thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes in 75 percent or more of acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA AND time to thrombolytic therapy within 45 minutes in 50 percent of acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA (current criteria and same volume thresholds).