Improving Systems of Care Through “Get Ahead of Stroke” Campaign

Situation

Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in the U.S. The vast majority of strokes — 87 percent — are ischemic strokes. Of patients with ischemic strokes, about half experience a severe stroke known as emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO), which is responsible for the greatest proportion of patients with long-term disability.

Neuroendovascular stroke surgery, or thrombectomy, is an innovative, minimally invasive procedure that re-establishes blood flow to the brain quickly and improves the chances that a patient will not only survive a stroke but will also make a full recovery. Policies and regulations that guide stroke treatment have not kept up with medical innovations and vary widely by state. Currently, most states do not have clear protocols to ensure a person having a severe stroke goes directly to a Level 1 stroke center, where they would have access to a specially trained neuroendovascular care team that can help them 24/7/365.

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Solution

The Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) and its “Get Ahead of Stroke” campaign has engaged Direct Impact to provide public affairs support, stakeholder engagement and grassroots advocacy to improve systems of care for stroke patients through legislative and regulatory change at the state level. This fully integrated and tailored campaign includes:

• Generating greater awareness about the gap between medical advancements and current laws and regulations
• Shaping and enacting favorable public policy in state legislatures
• Building awareness and understanding of the need for better protocols with federal policymakers
• Establishing relationships with and activating key legislators and influential stakeholders to advance legislation
• Growing the broader Get Ahead of Stroke coalition through engaging patients, providers and caregivers

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Success

• Successfully enacted into law new protocols for stroke patients in Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Tennessee
• Secured influential bill sponsors and introduced legislation in Massachusetts, New York and Ohio
• Protocol language was adopted within an annual report on stroke released by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam
• Presented to the National EMS Advisory Council at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C.
• Targeted nearly 1,000 elected officials across markets and at NCSL’s Annual Legislative Summit
• Engaged more than 2,300 EMS personnel across markets and conferences such as the World EMS Expo

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