Winners Announced: Australian Stroke Coalition Quality Stroke Service Awards 2020

The Australian Stroke Coalition is pleased to announce, that for the second year, it is presenting its National Quality Stroke Service Awards.

These national awards have been established by the Australian Stroke Coalition to recognise high performing hospitals. This year the awards have been based on data submitted to the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR), as there was no National Acute Audit run by the Stroke Foundation in 2020.

In 2020, there are two award categories based on:

• the provision of nine quality of stroke care metrics (in line with national stroke guidelines and national Acute Stroke Clinical Care Standards)
• the provision of timely reperfusion treatments.

Category 1: Provision of nine quality of stroke care metrics

Excellence Awards

• Townsville Hospital (QLD)
• Rockhampton Hospital (QLD)
• Echuca Regional Health (VIC)
• Princess Alexandra Hospital (QLD)
• Wimmera Base Hospital (VIC)
• Port Macquarie Hospital (NSW)
• Caboolture Hospital (QLD)

Merit Awards

• Box Hill Hospital (VIC)
• Warrnambool Base Hospital (VIC)
• Mackay Hospital (QLD)
• Mildura Base Hospital (VIC)
• Albury Hospital (VIC)
• Ipswich Hospital (QLD)

Honorable Mentions  

• Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (NSW)
• Blacktown Hospital (NSW)
• Gold Coast Hospital (QLD)
• Royal North Shore Hospital (NSW)
• Prince Charles Hospital (QLD)
• Bendigo Base Hospital (VIC)
• Central Gippsland Health Service – Sale (VIC)
• Canberra Hospital (ACT)

Category 2: Provision of timely reperfusion treatments

Merit Awards for achieving a median door-to-needle time < 60 minutes

• Box Hill Hospital (VIC)
• Royal Melbourne Hospital (VIC)

Honorable Mentions for achieving a median door-to-needle time < 60 minutes

• Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (NSW)

Merit Awards for achieving a median door-to-groin time < 90 minutes

• Princess Alexandra Hospital (QLD)
• Monash Health – Monash Medical Centre (VIC)
• Royal Melbourne Hospital (VIC)
• Austin Hospital (VIC)

Honorable Mentions for achieving a median door-to-groin time < 90 minutes

• Royal North Shore Hospital (NSW)

Category 1: Provision of nine quality of stroke care metrics

This has been awarded based on a composite score, derived from the following variables submitted to the AuSCR in 2019:

• provision of stroke unit care
• treatment with thrombolysis OR endovascular clot retrieval (if offered by hospital)
• treatment with thrombolysis within 60 mins of hospital arrival
• treatment with endovascular clot retrieval within 90 minutes of hospital arrival
• patients mobilised on the same day or day after hospital arrival
• provision of antihypertensive medication on discharge*
• provision of antithrombotic medications on discharge*^#
• provision of lipid-lowering medication on discharge*^#
• provision of a discharge care plan if discharged to the community.

*where not contraindicated

^#excluding hemorrhagic strokes

Excellence Awards have been given to hospitals that have:

• entered at least 50 episodes of stroke/TIA
• achieved a composite score ≥80%
• a case ascertainment of ≥70% AND <10% missing data for each of the award variables.

Hospitals must also have provided data for a minimum of 50 patients in 2019.

Merit Awards have been given to hospitals that have:

• entered at least 50 episodes of stroke/TIA
• achieved a composite score ≥70%
• a case ascertainment of ≥70% AND <10% missing data for award variables.

Hospitals must also have provided data for a minimum of 50 patients in 2019.

Honorable Mentions have been given to hospitals that have:

• entered at least 50 episodes of stroke/TIA
• achieved a composite score ≥70% BUT have either case ascertainment between 60-69% OR more than 10% missing data for one variable used in the calculation of the composite score.

Category 2: Provision of timely reperfusion treatments

These awards have been given to hospitals that have provided thrombolysis within 60 minutes of hospital arrival, or endovascular clot retrieval (ECR) within 90 minutes of hospital arrival, based on data submitted to the AuSCR in 2019.

Merit Awards have been given to hospitals that have:

• a median door-to-needle time for thrombolysis of less than 60 minutes OR whose median door-to-groin time for ECR is less than 90 minutes
• a case ascertainment of ≥70% AND <10% missing data for variables used in calculating these awards.

Hospitals must also have provided data for a minimum of 15 patients in 2019.

Honorable Mentions have been given to hospitals that have:

• a median door-to-needle time for thrombolysis of less than 60 minutes OR whose median door-to-groin time for ECR is less than 90 minutes
• either a case ascertainment between 60-69% OR more than 10% missing data for one variable used in the calculations.