The Acute Stroke Treatment Program (ASTP) guides hospitals through a step-by-step process for establishing a Primary Stroke Center in their facility.
ASTP complements the Recommendations for the Establishment of Primary Stroke Centers: A Consensus Statement from the Brain Attack Coalition.
The core piece of the program is the American Stroke Association Program Capacity Assessment Tool, which gives hospitals a tool to strengthen their acute stroke service delivery infrastructure and evaluate their readiness to treat stroke.
Recommendations for using the ASTP:
- Assemble a cross-functional team representing all departments and skill sets involved in treating stroke patients.
- As a team, complete the “initial status” assessment within the Program Capacity Assessment Tool.
- After determining steps that need to be taken to establish a Primary Stroke Center, use the sample materials and tools provided for completing these steps.
- After a six-month period, complete the “follow-up” status assessment within the Program Capacity Assessment Tool to determine if all necessary steps have been taken to allow the hospital to serve as a Primary Stroke Center.
- Continue to conduct periodic assessments and check back to this site for any new materials or updates to the program
