Postacute-Stroke Management Problems in Home Care Service: A Qualitative Single-Centered Study in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Objective This study explores the postacute-stroke management problems, particularly for patients with total dependency (Barthel Index <20), in home care service of Dr. Sardjito Hospital (SH) from the hospital personnel's and caregiver's points of view. Materials and Methods In-depth interviews with a semi-structured interview guide were conducted with hospital personnel and patients' caregivers based on the purposeful sampling. There were 10 hospital personnel that were interviewed: the director of medical service, head of home care unit, neurologists, general practitioners, nurses, and physiotherapist. There were eight caregivers who participated in the study. Statistical Analysis Data from the interviews were analyzed using systematic text condensation using Nvivo 12 plus. Results Our findings showed that all health personnel in SH agreed that home care service is a part of an integrated health care service for continuation of care. However, the preparedness by the hospital management is still lacking in infrastructures, such as standardized operational procedure, quality control, and financial system, as well as in terms of competent human resources and their welfare. In addition, the patient's family and caregiver are lacking in knowledge and independency to take care of the patients with the need of home care services' monitoring to deliver the expected home care for postacute-stroke's patient regularly. Conclusion Home care service is an act of implementing hospital obligation to fulfill the patients' rights. An established hospital policy to ensure a comprehensive home care service delivery is necessary. The capability and welfare of the health care personnel should be put into account for the standardized human resources.

Development and Pilot Implementation of TACTICS VR: A Virtual Reality-Based Stroke Management Workflow Training Application and Training Framework

Delays in acute stroke treatment contribute to severe and negative impacts for patients and significant healthcare costs. Variability in clinical care is a contributor to delayed treatment, particularly in rural, regional and remote (RRR) areas. Targeted approaches to improve stroke workflow processes improve outcomes, but numerous challenges exist particularly in RRR settings. Virtual reality (VR) applications can provide immersive and engaging training and overcome some existing training barriers. We recently initiated the TACTICS trial, which is assessing a “package intervention” to support advanced CT imaging and streamlined stroke workflow training. As part of the educational component of the intervention we developed TACTICS VR, a novel VR-based training application to upskill healthcare professionals in optimal stroke workflow processes. In the current manuscript, we describe development of the TACTICS VR platform which includes the VR-based training application, a user-facing website and an automated back-end data analytics portal. TACTICS VR was developed via an extensive and structured scoping and consultation process, to ensure content was evidence-based, represented best-practice and is tailored for the target audience. Further, we report on pilot implementation in 7 Australian hospitals to assess the feasibility of workplace-based VR training. A total of 104 healthcare professionals completed TACTICS VR training. Users indicated a high level of usability, acceptability and utility of TACTICS VR, including aspects of hardware, software design, educational content, training feedback and implementation strategy. Further, users self-reported increased confidence in their ability to make improvements in stroke management after TACTICS VR training (post-training mean ± SD = 4.1 ± 0.6; pre-training = 3.6 ± 0.9; 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Very few technical issues were identified, supporting the feasibility of this training approach. Thus, we propose that TACTICS VR is a fit-for-purpose, evidence-based training application for stroke workflow optimisation that can be readily deployed on-site in a clinical setting.

Simulation-Based Assessment of Graduate Neurology Trainees’ Performance Managing Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and ObjectivesMultidisciplinary acute stroke teams improve acute ischemic stroke management but may hinder trainees’ education which in turn may contribute to poorer outcomes in community hospitals upon graduation. Our goal was to assess graduate neurology trainee performance independent of a multi-disciplinary stroke team in the management of acute ischemic stroke, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-related hemorrhage, and cerebral herniation syndrome.MethodsIn this prospective, observational, single-center simulation-based study, participants (sub-interns to attending physicians) managed a patient with acute ischemic stroke followed by tPA-related hemorrhagic conversion leading to cerebral herniation. Critical actions were developed by a modified Delphi approach based on relevant American Heart Association guidelines and the Neurocritical Care Society’s Emergency Neurological Life Support protocols. The primary outcome measure was graduate neurology trainees’ critical action item sum score. We sought validity evidence to support our findings by comparing trainees’ performance across four levels of training.ResultsFifty-three trainees (including 31 graduate neurology trainees) and five attending physicians completed the simulation. The mean sum of critical actions completed by graduate neurology trainees was 15/22 (68%). Ninety percent of graduate neurology trainees properly administered tPA, 84% immediately stopped tPA infusion following patient deterioration, but only 55% reversed tPA according to guidelines. There was a moderately strong effect of level of training on critical action sum score (level 1 mean score [standard deviation (SD)] = 7.2 (2.8) vs. level 2 mean score (SD) = 12.3 (2.6) vs. level 3 mean score (SD) = 13.3 (2.2) vs. level 4 mean score (SD) = 16.3 (2.4), p < .001, R2 = 0.54).DiscussionGraduate neurology trainees reassuringly perform well in initial management of acute ischemic stroke, but frequently make errors in the treatment of hemorrhagic transformation after thrombolysis, suggesting the need for more education surrounding this low frequency, high-acuity event. High-fidelity simulation holds promise as an assessment tool for acute stroke management performance.

Long-Term Trends in Stroke Management and Burden Among Low-Income Women in a Rural Area From China (1992–2019): A Prospective Population-Based Study

Although an increasing number of studies are considering sex-related differences in stroke burden, the trends in stroke burden and management among women in China, especially among low-income women, remain unclear. This study evaluated the long-term trends in stroke management and burden among low-income Chinese women during the period between 1992 and 2019. Stroke burden was assessed using the age-adjusted incidence of first-ever stroke, whereas stroke management was assessed using the rates of neuroimaging diagnoses, hospitalizations, case fatalities, and stroke recurrence. Stroke burden and management were analyzed during four study periods: 1992–1998, 1999–2004, 2005–2012, and 2013–2019. During the 193,385 person-years of surveillance in this study, 597 female stroke patients were identified. The stroke incidences per 100,000 person-years were 88.1 cases during 1992–1998, 145.4 cases during 1999–2004, 264.3 cases during 2005–2012, and 309.8 cases during 2013–2019 (P &lt; 0.001). Between 1992 and 2019, the incidence of stroke significantly increased (6.4% annually) as did the incidence of ischemic stroke (7.8% annually; both, P &lt; 0.001). The rates of neuroimaging diagnoses and hospitalizations significantly increased during the four periods, while the case fatality rates and 1-year recurrence rates decreased significantly for both overall strokes and ischemic strokes, especially among patients ≥45 years old (all, P &lt; 0.001). Among low-income women in China, stroke management is gradually improving, despite the increasing stroke burden. Thus, improved healthcare coverage is needed to further reduce the stroke burden among low-income Chinese women.

Student’s Perspectives on Augmented Reality in Pharmacy Education in Hong Kong

Introduction: Augmented reality (AR) technology has demonstrated potential on various areas of healthcare practice. Its role on medical education is starting to emerge. This study aimed to investigate students’ perspectives on using AR as learning tools in undergraduate pharmacy education.Methods: Four AR micro modules on post-stroke management and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were developed for third year undergraduate pharmacy students to study. Students played the role of pharmacists in the AR micro modules. They collected information to identify patient’s chief complaints, history, risk factors, comorbidities, and other problems, and provided recommendation on patient’s treatment plans. Teacher guided the discussions and addressed student’s enquiries. Student’s feedback was collected by pre- and post-intervention survey.Results: A total of 54 students participated in the current study. The was no significant change in students’ perceived knowledge on post-stroke management and COPD, as well as their confidence in providing patient counselling on relevant topics. Students expressed that their learning experience with AR was not positive. Technical problems were the major difficulties that students encountered.Conclusion: There was no significant difference in pharmacy students perceived clinical knowledge and confidence on patient’s counselling after completing the AR modules. Technical issues were the major hurdles that hindered student’s learning experience with AR.

Telemedicine-enabled ambulances and mobile stroke units for prehospital stroke management

The recognition and management of stroke in the prehospital setting has become increasingly important to improve patient outcomes. Several strategies to advance prehospital stroke care have been developed, including the mobile stroke unit and the telemedicine-enabled ambulance—or “mini-MSU.” These strategies both incorporate ambulance-based audio-visual telemedicine evaluation with a vascular neurologist to facilitate faster treatment but differ in several areas including upfront and recurring costs, scalability or growth potential, ability to integrate into existing emergency medical services systems, and interoperability across multiple specialties or conditions. While both the mobile stroke unit and mini-mobile stroke unit model are valid approaches to improve stroke care, the authors aim to compare these models based on costs, scalability, integration, and interoperability in order to guide our prehospital leaders to find the best solutions for their communities.