Wisconsin Coverdell Stroke Program: Strategic Program Overview

The Wisconsin Coverdell Stroke Program is committed to providing high-quality acute stroke care and improving health outcomes for everyone experiencing stroke in Wisconsin. To accomplish these goals, the Wisconsin Coverdell Stroke Program has the following objectives:

1. Public Awareness: Promote messaging for stroke prevention, signs and symptoms, and importance of calling 911.
2. Partnerships: Increase and maintain multi-disciplinary partnerships (e.g., Stroke Coordinators of Wisconsin, the EMS Board Physician Advisory Committee) to guide the Wisconsin Coverdell Stroke Program and coordinate with other statewide stroke efforts.
3. Recruitment: Recruit and engage Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and hospital systems in quality improvement.
4. Data infrastructure: Implement an integrated data management system to measure, track, and assess quality of care (QOC).
5. Data Use: Increase the reliability and use of stroke data across transitions of care (EMS-hospital, hospital-home, primary care-community services).
6. Quality Improvement (QI): Coordinate stroke care QI efforts.
7. Sustainability: Develop a sustainability plan and/or mechanisms to support ongoing coordinated stroke care systems.

Key components of the program include:

• For hospitals, reporting on and improving performance measures through the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry (link is external) (PCNASR).
• For EMS, reporting on and improving performance measures through the Wisconsin Ambulance Run Data System (WARDS).
• Facilitating EMS and hospitals in developing and implementing stroke systems of care.

 

More Information:
John Bowser, PhD, Coverdell Program Director
608-590-3162
John.Bowser@dhs.wisconsin.gov