American Heart Association's Post-acute Care Stroke Program Standards- development and Implementation 1934

Rehabilitation is beneficial for stroke survivors, however post-acute care for stroke survivors varies across facility types.  In 2022, the AHA created the Post-Acute Care Stroke Program Standards based on current evidenced-based guidelines, a landscape survey, and pilot study. The AHA then began initiatives to incorporate these into post-acute facilities through grant funded initiatives.

Skilled nursing facilities, critical access hospitals with swing beds and inpatient rehabilitation facilities across four states were recruited to implement standards within their facilities, track data, and provide feedback about gaps in care, barriers, and successes. Facilities were provided with resources, one on one support, learning collaboratives, and online platforms to assist with data collection.

The data analysis and feedback showed that quality improvement initiatives can improve outcomes among specific patient populations. This presentation will discuss the creation of the Post-Acute Care Stroke Program Standards and implementation of these standards across facilities through the initiatives.