One-Year Costs Associated With the Veterans Affairs National TeleStroke Program.

OBJECTIVES: Access to timely care is important for patients with stroke, where rapid diagnosis and treatment affect functional status, disability, and mortality. Telestroke programs connect stroke specialists with emergency department staff at facilities without on-site stroke expertise. The objective of this study was to examine healthcare costs for patients with stroke who sought care before and after implementation of the US Department of Veterans Affairs National TeleStroke Program (NTSP). METHODS: We identified 471 patients who had a stroke and sought care at a telestroke site and compared them to 529 patients with stroke who received stroke care at the same sites before telestroke implementation. We examined patient costs for 12 months before and after stroke, using a linear model with a patient-level fixed effect. RESULTS: NTSP was associated with significantly higher rates of patients receiving guideline concordant care. Compared with control patients, those treated by NTSP were 14.3 percentage points more likely to receive tissue plasminogen activator and 4.3 percentage points more likely to receive a thrombectomy (all P < .0001). NTSP was associated with $4821 increased costs for patients with stroke in the first 30 days after the program (2019 dollars). There were no observed savings over 12 months, and the added costs of care were attributable to higher rates of guideline concordant care. CONCLUSIONS: Telestroke programs are unlikely to yield short-term savings because optimal stroke care is expensive. Healthcare organizations should expect increases in healthcare costs for patients treated for stroke in the first year after implementing a telestroke program.

Longitudinal assessment of depression during the first year after stroke: Dimensionality and measurement invariance.

OBJECTIVE: Repeated measurement of depression using summative scores of commonly used depression scales assumes that the construct is unidimensional and invariant across time, but little is known about the validity of these assumptions in stroke patients. The study examined the assumptions during the first year after mild to moderate stroke using the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2014-2016 Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi project, a population-based stroke surveillance study with longitudinal follow-up in Texas, United States. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the PHQ-8 at 3, 6, and 12 months post-stroke (n = 648, 542, 533, respectively). Dimensionality of the PHQ-8 was examined using exploratory bifactor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Based on a one-factor CFA model, longitudinal measurement invariance was examined by fitting configural, weak, strong and strict invariance models sequentially. RESULTS: Mean age was 65.6 (SD = 11.2), half were women, and 56.7% were Mexican American. Reliability measures suggested a generally unidimensional construct (Omega Hierarchical: 0.79-0.86), good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.84-0.88) and good temporal stability (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.838). Configural invariance for equality of item-factor structure (RMSEA = 0.038, CFI = 0.982, WRMR = 0.970) was supported. Partial weak invariance for equality of factor loadings (p = 0.11) was supported by chi-square difference tests, whereas full longitudinal invariance was supported by changes in comparative fit index and root mean square error of approximation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest the PHQ-8 may be a reasonable tool for repeated measurement of depression in stroke patients, and more research on its longitudinal psychometric properties is needed.

Development, Validation, and Assessment of an Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack-Specific Prediction Tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

BACKGROUND: Screening instruments for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as used routinely to guide clinicians regarding patient referral for polysomnography (PSG), rely heavily on symptomatology. We sought to develop and validate a cerebrovascular disease-specific OSA prediction model less reliant on symptomatology, and to compare its performance with commonly used screening instruments within a population with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). METHODS: Using data on demographic factors, anthropometric measurements, medical history, stroke severity, sleep questionnaires, and PSG from 2 independently derived, multisite, randomized trials that enrolled patients with stroke or TIA, we developed and validated a model to predict the presence of OSA (i.e., Apnea-Hypopnea Index ≥5 events per hour). Model performance was compared with that of the Berlin Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, high blood Pressure, Body mass index, Age, Neck circumference, and Gender instrument, and the Sleep Apnea Clinical Score. RESULTS: The new SLEEP Inventory (Sex, Left heart failure, ESS, Enlarged neck, weight [in Pounds], Insulin resistance/diabetes, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) performed modestly better than other instruments in identifying patients with OSA, showing reasonable discrimination in the development (c-statistic .732) and validation (c-statistic .731) study populations, and having the highest negative predictive value of all in struments. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of these limitations in OSA screening instruments when making decisions about referral for PSG. The high negative predictive value of the SLEEP INventory may be useful in determining and prioritizing patients with stroke or TIA least in need of overnight PSG.

Disparities and guideline adherence in drugs of abuse screening in intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the pattern of urine drug screening in a cohort of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients at our academic centers. METHODS: We identified cases of primary ICH occurring from 2009 to 2011 in our academic centers. Demographic data, imaging characteristics, processes of care, and short-term outcomes were ascertained. We performed logistic regression to identify predictors for screening and evaluated preguideline and postguideline reiteration screening patterns. RESULTS: We identified 610 patients with primary ICH in 2009-2011; 379 (62.1%) were initially evaluated at an outside hospital. Overall, 142/610 (23.3%) patients were screened, with 21 positive for cocaine and 3 for amphetamine. Of patients <55 years of age, only 65/140 (46.4%) were screened. Black patients <55 years of age were screened more than nonblack patients <55 years of age (38/61 [62.3%] vs 27/79 [34.2%]; p = 0.0009). In the best multivariable model, age group (p = 0.0001), black race (p = 0.4529), first Glasgow Coma Scale score (p = 0.0492), current smoking (p < 0.0001), and age group × black race (p = 0.0097) were associated with screening. Guideline reiteration in 2010 did not improve the proportion <55 years of age who were screened: 42/74 (56.8%) were screened before and 23/66 (34.9%) after (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We found disparities in drugs of abuse (DOA) screening and suboptimal guideline adherence. Systematic efforts to improve screening for DOA are warranted. Improved identification of sympathomimetic exposure may improve etiologic classification and influence decision-making and prognosis counseling.

The iScore predicts total healthcare costs early after hospitalization for an acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: The ischemic Stroke risk score is a validated prognostic score which can be used by clinicians to estimate patient outcomes after the occurrence of an acute ischemic stroke. AIM: In this study, we examined the association between the ischemic Stroke risk score and patients' 30-day, one-year, and two-year healthcare costs from the perspective of a third party healthcare payer. METHODS: Patients who had an acute ischemic stroke were identified from the Registry of Canadian Stroke Network. The 30-day ischemic Stroke risk score prognostic score was determined for each patient. Direct healthcare costs at each time point were determined using administrative databases in the province of Ontario. Unadjusted mean and the impact of a 10-point increase ischemic Stroke risk score and a patient's risk of death or disability on total cost were determined. RESULTS: There were 12,686 patients eligible for the study. Total unadjusted mean costs were greatest among patients at high risk. When adjusting for patient characteristics, a 10-point increase in the ischemic Stroke risk score was associated with 8%, 7%, and 4% increase in total costs at 30 days, one-year, and two-years. The same increase was found to impact patients at low, medium, and high risk differently. When adjusting for patient characteristics, patients in the high-risk group had the highest total costs at 30 days, while patients at medium risk had the highest costs at both one and two-years. CONCLUSIONS: The ischemic Stroke risk score can be useful as a predictor of healthcare utilization and costs early after hospitalization for an acute ischemic stroke.

Care Trajectories of Veterans in the 12 Months After Hospitalization for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Recovery after a stroke varies greatly between individuals and is reflected by wide variation in the use of institutional and home care services. This study sought to classify veterans according to their care trajectories in the 12 months after hospitalization for ischemic stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS: The sample consisted of 3811 veterans hospitalized for ischemic stroke in Veterans Health Administration facilities in 2007. Three outcomes--nursing home care, home care, and mortality--were modeled jointly >12 months using latent class growth analysis. Data on Veterans' care use and cost came from the Veterans Administration and Medicare. Covariates included stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale), functional status (functional independence measure score), age, marital status, chronic conditions, and prestroke ambulation. Five care trajectories were identified: 49% of Veterans had Rapid Recovery with little or no use of care; 15% had a Steady Recovery with initially high nursing home or home care that tapered off; 9% had Long-Term Home Care; 13% had Long-Term Nursing Home Care; and 14% had an Unstable trajectory with multiple transitions between long-term and acute care settings. Care use was greatest for individuals with more severe strokes, lower functioning at hospital discharge, and older age. Average annual costs were highest for individuals with the Long-Term Nursing Home trajectory ($63,082), closely followed by individuals with the Unstable trajectory ($58,720). Individual with the Rapid Recovery trajectory had the lowest costs ($9271). CONCLUSIONS: Care trajectories after stroke were associated with stroke severity and functional dependency and they had a dramatic impact on subsequent costs.

Effect of clinical and social risk factors on hospital profiling for stroke readmission: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Veterans Health Administration (VA) will report 30-day stroke readmission rates as a measure of hospital quality. A national debate on whether social risk factors should be included in models developed for hospital profiling is ongoing. OBJECTIVE: To compare a CMS-based model of 30-day readmission with a more comprehensive model that includes measures of social risk (such as homelessness) or clinical factors (such as stroke severity and functional status). DESIGN: Data from a retrospective cohort study were used to develop a CMS-based 30-day readmission model that included age and comorbid conditions based on codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (model 1). This model was then compared with one that included administrative social risk factors (model 2). Finally, the CMS model (model 1) was compared with a model that included social risk and clinical factors from chart review (model 3). These 3 models were used to rank hospitals by 30-day risk-standardized readmission rates and examine facility rankings among the models. SETTING: Hospitals in the VA. PARTICIPANTS: Patients hospitalized with stroke in 2007. MEASUREMENTS: 30-day readmission rates. RESULTS: The 30-day readmission rate was 12.8%. The c-statistics for the 3 models were 0.636, 0.646, and 0.661, respectively. All hospitals were classified as performing "as expected" using all 3 models (that is, performance did not differ from the VA national average); therefore, the addition of detailed clinical information or social risk factors did not alter assessment of facility performance. LIMITATION: A predominantly male veteran cohort limits the generalizability of these findings. CONCLUSION: In the VA, more comprehensive models that included social risk and clinical factors did not affect hospital comparisons based on 30-day readmission rates. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

National implementation of acute stroke care centers in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA): formative evaluation of the field response.

BACKGROUND: In 2011, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released the Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) Directive, which mandated reorganization of acute stroke care, including self-designation of stroke centers as Primary (P), Limited Hours (LH), or Supporting (S). OBJECTIVES: In partnership with the VHA Offices of Emergency Medicine and Specialty Care Services, the VA Stroke QUERI conducted a formative evaluation in a national sample of three levels of stroke centers in order to understand barriers and facilitators. DESIGN AND APPROACH: The evaluation consisted of a mixed-methods assessment that included a qualitative assessment of data from semi-structured interviews with key informants and a quantitative assessment of stroke quality-of-care data reporting practices by facility characteristics. PARTICIPANTS: The final sample included 38 facilities (84 % participation rate): nine P, 24 LH, and five S facilities. In total, we interviewed 107 clinicians and 16 regional Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) leaders. RESULTS: Across all three levels of stroke centers, stroke teams identified the specific need for systematic nurse training to triage and initiate stroke protocols. The most frequently reported barriers centered around quality-of-care data collection. A low number of eligible veterans arriving at the VAMC in a timely manner was another major impediment. The LH and S facilities reported some unique barriers: access to radiology and neurology services; EMS diverting stroke patients to nearby stroke centers, maintaining staff competency, and a lack of stroke clinical champions. Solutions that were applied included developing stroke order sets and templates to provide systematic decision support, implementing a stroke code in the facility for a coordinated response to stroke, and staff resource allocation and training. Data reporting by facility evaluation demonstrated that categorizing site volume did indicate a lower likelihood of reporting among VAMCs with 25-49 acute stroke admissions per year. CONCLUSIONS: The AIS Directive brought focused attention to reorganizing stroke care across a wide range of facility types. Larger VA facilities tended to follow established practices for organizing stroke care, but the unique addition of the LH designation presented some challenges. S facilities tended to report a lack of a coordinated stroke team and champion to drive process changes.

Strategic planning to reduce the burden of stroke among veterans: using simulation modeling to inform decision making.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Reducing the burden of stroke is a priority for the Veterans Affairs Health System, reflected by the creation of the Veterans Affairs Stroke Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. To inform the initiative's strategic planning, we estimated the relative population-level impact and efficiency of distinct approaches to improving stroke care in the US Veteran population to inform policy and practice. METHODS: A System Dynamics stroke model of the Veteran population was constructed to evaluate the relative impact of 15 intervention scenarios including both broad and targeted primary and secondary prevention and acute care/rehabilitation on cumulative (20 years) outcomes including quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, strokes prevented, stroke fatalities prevented, and the number-needed-to-treat per QALY gained. RESULTS: At the population level, a broad hypertension control effort yielded the largest increase in QALYs (35,517), followed by targeted prevention addressing hypertension and anticoagulation among Veterans with prior cardiovascular disease (27,856) and hypertension control among diabetics (23,100). Adjusting QALYs gained by the number of Veterans needed to treat, thrombolytic therapy with tissue-type plasminogen activator was most efficient, needing 3.1 Veterans to be treated per QALY gained. This was followed by rehabilitation (3.9) and targeted prevention addressing hypertension and anticoagulation among those with prior cardiovascular disease (5.1). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the ranking of interventions was robust to uncertainty in input parameter values. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention strategies tend to have larger population impacts, though interventions targeting specific high-risk groups tend to be more efficient in terms of number-needed-to-treat per QALY gained.

The association between socioeconomic status and disability after stroke: findings from the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke Longitudinal (AVAIL) registry.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the leading cause of disability among adults in the United States. The association of patients' pre-event socioeconomic status (SES) with post-stroke disability is not well understood. We examined the association of three indicators of SES--educational attainment, working status, and perceived adequacy of household income--with disability 3-months following an acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We conducted retrospective analyses of a prospective cohort of 1965 ischemic stroke patients who survived to 3 months in the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke--Longitudinal (AVAIL) study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship of level of education, pre-stroke work status, and perceived adequacy of household income with disability (defined as a modified Rankin Scale of 3-5 indicating activities of daily living limitations or constant care required). RESULTS: Overall, 58% of AVAIL stroke patients had a high school or less education, 61% were not working, and 27% perceived their household income as inadequate prior to their stroke. Thirty five percent of patients were disabled at 3-months. After adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, stroke survivors who were unemployed or homemakers, disabled and not-working, retired, less educated, or reported to have inadequate income prior to their stroke had a significantly higher odds of post-stroke disability. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of stroke survivors, socioeconomic status was associated with disability following acute ischemic stroke. The results may have implications for public health and health service interventions targeting stroke survivors at risk of poor outcomes.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea in patients' homes: the rationale and methods of the "GoToSleep" randomized-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The "Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea in Cerebrovascular Disease" (GoToSleep) study is evaluating a strategy to improve the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea among veterans with stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) who also have hypertension. Specifically, the GoToSleep study was designed to overcome some of the barriers that exist within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to the timely diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea by using ambulatory home-based polysomnography and auto-titrating continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to reduce the reliance on laboratory-based sleep studies. METHODS: The GoToSleep study is a prospective, multi-site, randomized, controlled strategy trial among an expected 318 veterans with cerebrovascular disease and hypertension who are assigned to an intervention group or a control group. Patients in the intervention group receive unattended polysomnography at baseline, and those with sleep apnea receive auto-titrating CPAP therapy for up to one year. Patients in the control group receive usual care and unattended polysomnography at the end of the study to identify the rate of undiagnosed sleep apnea. The primary objectives of the GoToSleep study are to determine whether a diagnostic and therapeutic intervention strategy among veterans with cerebrovascular disease and hypertension improves: (1) detection of sleep apnea; (2) appropriate treatment for sleep apnea; and (3) control of hypertension. Twenty-four-hour blood pressure assessments are made at baseline and at the end of the one-year study period for both groups. Antihypertensive medications and their doses are recorded at the time of the 24-hour blood pressure measurements. DISCUSSION: This manuscript provides the rationale for 4 key components of the design of the GoToSleep trial: the inclusion of patients with cerebrovascular disease and hypertension without the use of a measure of daytime sleepiness as an eligibility criterion; the use of portable polysomnography and auto-titrating CPAP in patients' homes rather than using sleep laboratory polysomnography with fixed pressure CPAP; the analytic approach to evaluating change in blood pressure in the context of change in antihypertensive medications; and the use of a usual care control group.

The use and misuse of thrombolytic therapy within the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: Within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), approximately 6000 veterans are hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke annually. We examined the use and misuse of thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in a national sample of veterans who were admitted to a VHA Medical Center (VAMC) with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: Medical record reviews were conducted on 5000 acute stroke patients who were admitted to a VAMC in 2007. Patients were defined as eligible to receive tPA if they arrived at the hospital within 3 hours of stroke symptom onset and had no contraindications to tPA. We compared eligible patients who received tPA to those who did not and examined the distribution of eligible patients across the 129 VAMCs included in this study. RESULTS: Among the 3931 ischemic stroke patients, 174 (4.4%) were eligible for tPA. Among the 135 patients who arrived within 2 hours of symptom onset which allowed adequate time for testing and evaluation, 19 (14.1%) received tPA. An additional 11 patients received tPA but did not meet eligibility criteria. Eligible patients receiving tPA were similar to eligible patients not receiving tPA in terms of clinical conditions and time to brain imaging. Among the 30 patients that received tPA, 5 (16.6%) received the wrong dose. Among the 85 VAMCs that received ≥1 eligible patient, on average 2.3 patients were eligible for tPA annually. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively few eligible veterans receive thrombolysis across the VHA system. Strategies to improve thrombolysis delivery will have to account for the low annual volume of eligible stroke patients cared for at individual VAMCs.

Stroke caregiver outcomes from the Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Kit (TASK).

PURPOSE: Stroke caregivers often express the need for information about stroke and assistance with stroke-related care in the early discharge period. The Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Kit (TASK) is an 8-week program that addresses caregiver needs. This study explored the efficacy of the TASK program in improving stroke caregiver outcomes. METHOD: Guided by a conceptual model, 6 outcomes (optimism, task difficulty, threat appraisal, depressive symptoms, life changes, general health perceptions) were measured in 40 caregivers randomized to the TASK (n=21) or an attention control group (n=19). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for baseline scores and minutes spent with the nurse. RESULTS: Significant increases in optimism at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks were found, with medium effect sizes for the TASK group relative to the control group (p<.05). Significant improvements in task difficulty at 4 weeks, and threat appraisal at both 8 weeks and 12 weeks were also found (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Caregivers receiving the TASK intervention improved in optimism, task difficulty, and threat appraisal. Further testing of an enhanced version of the TASK program is warranted, with attention directed toward more distal stroke caregiver outcomes.

Geographic variation in poststroke depression among veterans with acute stroke.

This study compared patterns of poststroke depression (PSD) detection among veterans with acute stroke in eight U.S. geographic regions. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical and pharmacy data as well as Medicare data were used. International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision depression codes and antidepressant medication dispensing were applied to define patients' PSD status 12 months poststroke. Logistic regression models were fit to compare VA PSD diagnosis and overall PSD detection between the regions. The use of VA medical data alone may underestimate the rate of PSD. Geographic variation in PSD detection depended on the data used. If VA medical data alone were used, we found no significant variation. If VA medical data were used along with Medicare and VA pharmacy data, we observed a significant variation in overall PSD detection across the regions after adjusting for potential risk factors. VA clinicians and policy makers need to consider enrollees' use of services outside the system when conducting program evaluation. Future research on PSD among veteran patients should use VA medical data in combination with Medicare and VA pharmacy data to obtain a comprehensive understanding of patients' PSD.

Barriers and facilitators to exercise among stroke survivors.

Physical activity after stroke may prevent disability and stroke recurrence; yet, physical impairments may inhibit poststroke exercise and subsequently limit recovery. The goal of this study was to elicit barriers to and facilitators of exercise after stroke. We conducted three focus groups and achieved content saturation from 13 stroke survivors--eight men and five women--85% of whom were African American and 15% White, with a mean age of 59 years. We coded and analyzed the transcripts from the focus groups for common themes. Participants across groups reported three barriers (physical impairments from stroke, lack of motivation, and environmental factors) and three facilitators (motivation, social support, and planned activities to fill empty schedule) to exercise after stroke. Exercise activity can provide a purpose and structure to a stroke survivor's daily schedule, which may be interrupted after stroke. In addition, receiving social support from peers and providers, as well as offering stroke-specific exercise programming, may enhance physical activity of stroke survivors including those with disabilities. We intend to incorporate these findings into a post-stroke self-management exercise program.

The impact of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease on the family.

The impact of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease on families and caregivers of affected children has not been well-studied. Parents, relatives, and caregivers from 18 families with 20 affected children with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease were asked to complete the Children's Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50, an instrument used to assess health-related quality of life in children and family impact of illness. Mean and standard deviation (S.D.) of subscale scores were calculated and compared with previously published norms. Agreement between mothers and fathers was calculated using Cronbach's test. Mean scale scores in this cohort were lower than previously published norms for the following categories: physical function (25.9 vs 96.1, >2 S.D.); family activity (55.6 vs 89.7, >1 S.D.); and parental time impact (66.2 vs 87.8, >1 S.D.). However, family cohesion (73.3 vs 72.3, <1 S.D.), self-esteem (71.1 vs 79.8, <1 S.D.), behavior (78.9 vs 75.6, <1 S.D.), and mental health scale scores (74.2 vs 78.5, <1 S.D.) were similar to previously published norms. Parental agreement was poor, with 5 of 8 parent pairs (63%) differing in their responses (<0.7) Although impact on caregiver time and limitation of physical function and family activities is high, parents and caregivers in the cohort appear to remain cohesive and view their children's psychosocial health as similar to normal children.