University of Iowa Health Network Rehabilitation Hospital, a venture with Encompass Health recently joined the American Heart Association’s Post-Acute Care standards initiative to enhance guideline-based care for stroke patients, ultimately improving and prolonging lives.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts, ultimately causing brain cells to die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Over 90% of stroke patients experience some form of disability and more than 11% suffer a second stroke within a year. Targeted, high-quality post-stroke recovery, rehabilitation and secondary prevention interventions dramatically improve recovery of and reduce the risk of secondary effects after a stroke.

The initiative stems from program standards developed by an interdisciplinary committee of post-acute stroke experts, including physicians, nurses, rehabilitation specialists and other ancillary providers. it provides a pathway to enhance guideline-based post-acute care for stroke ultimately improving and prolonging patients’ lives.

Patients and caregivers by acknowledging that the post-acute stroke rehabilitation facility is committed to providing services that are supported by American Heart Association science. Patients receive assurance that the post-acute care facility is collaborating with the American Heart Association on standardizing their stroke rehabilitation program, in alignment with expert guidance and evidence-based research. Confidence their post-acute stroke care team will coordinate and deliver evidence-based treatment across the continuum of care.

The goal of Mission: Lifeline Stroke is to bring together hospitals, emergency medical services and first responders, rehabilitation facilities, communications and regulatory agencies, state and local government, and payers to forge a proactive system of stroke care that saves and improves lives.

To learn more, visit https://newsroom.heart.org/local-news/eight-iowa-facilities-participating-in-post-acute-care-standards-initiative-for-stroke-patients.