American Heart Association Partners with Helmsley Trust for $5 Million Stroke Care Initiative
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association announced a statewide commitment of $5.05 million for its Mission: Lifeline Stroke initiative to strengthen the full spectrum of stroke care across South Dakota. The foundation of this new initiative is a nearly $4.4 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Mission: Lifeline Stroke focuses on connecting all components of acute stroke care into a smoothly integrated system that reinforces the use of evidence-based guidelines to timely and effectively treat stroke patients. It brings together hospitals, emergency medical services and first responders, rehabilitation facilities, communications and regulatory agencies, and state and local government to forge a proactive system of stroke care that saves and improves lives.
“When it comes to stroke, every second counts,” stated Melissa Magstadt, Cabinet Secretary for the South Dakota Department of Health. “My vision has been to provide the same high quality stroke care throughout our entire healthcare system in South Dakota - whether you come into our larger, more urban hospitals or a smaller critical access hospital. With this collaboration and large scale investment before us, we will truly be able to improve stroke prevention and patient outcomes across our state.”
Cardiovascular disease, including heart and stroke conditions, is the leading cause of death in the United States. The acute nature of strokes is particularly deadly and requires time-sensitive treatment to save lives and reduce lasting disability. Stroke is a leading cause of death in South Dakota, accounting for 393 deaths in 2022. Many more South Dakotans are living with stroke-related disabilities.
This is the latest in a series of Helmsley investments in Mission: Lifeline’s system of care model for acute cardiac and stroke care. “We believe that a comprehensive approach is the best way to make the most substantial impact, especially for rural populations that face longer transit times and limited access to specialists,” said Walter Panzirer, a Trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust.
The stroke program in South Dakota builds upon prior success with this approach. The Helmsley Charitable Trust has funded Mission: Lifeline Stroke projects across the upper Midwest, including projects in North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Iowa. In 2010, the Helmsley Charitable Trust began support for statewide systems of care with grants to support Mission: Lifeline STEMI in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Minnesota and Iowa, as well, to reduce treatment times for acute cardiac care in the cases of ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). STEMI is the most serious type of heart attack and occurs when blood flow is completely blocked to a portion of the heart.
Every minute saved in stroke treatment can directly improve survival and recovery rates. Strengthening care requires a system-wide, data-driven quality improvement approach to address many similar triaging, transfer, and treatment challenges in time-sensitive stroke care.
“Stroke treatment is time-sensitive, so getting patients the proper treatment faster, is crucial,” said Dr. Jim Walery, an acute care physician and consulting physician to the South Dakota Department of Health EMS Division. “The Mission: Lifeline Stroke initiative and ongoing commitment will directly touch the lives of all South Dakotans through better coordinated stroke care, from the time of onset to treatment, rehabilitation and recovery.”
Across the U.S., approximately half of all stroke patients are discharged home or to hospice at home, with the remainder going to in-patient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, and long-term care facilities. More than 90% of stroke patients experience some form of disability as a result and more than 11% suffer a second stroke within a year. As a key component to Mission: Lifeline Stroke SD, the Association will implement Post-Acute Stroke Care Quality Standards in post-acute facilities across the state in an effort to maximize recovery of function lost during a stroke, reduce risk of secondary effects, and extend high quality guideline-directed care for all patients across their full stroke journey.
Mission: Lifeline Stroke will further strengthen the collaboration with stakeholders across the state representing hospitals, individual ambulance services, the South Dakota Department of Health and others. The project will enhance many critical elements of an optimal stroke system of care, including:
Improved public awareness on the symptoms of a stroke and the need to call 9-1-1;
A coordinated EMS network, well-trained to identify suspected stroke patients quicky and transport them to the most appropriate facility;
Well-trained hospital staff who are prepared to properly treat stroke patients and transfer, when appropriate, to higher levels of care and high-quality rehabilitation services;
Coordination and collaboration among all statewide stroke centers;
Seamless discharge to high-quality, post-acute stroke rehabilitation and recovery care;
Guideline-directed care in post-acute care facilities to improve recovery and quality of life;
A sustainable statewide quality improvement data system to monitor patient care, identify successes and areas in need of further improvement and investment; and
Robust, collaborative infrastructure for long-term attention to stroke outcomes across the state.
Since 2010, the Helmsley Charitable Trust has committed over $90.9 million to the American Heart Association’s mission. Helmsley’s support has been foundational to improving statewide systems of care in the Upper Midwest, including Mission: Lifeline STEMI projects in seven states from 2010 to 2016 and the launch of Mission: Lifeline Stroke in North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and Iowa.
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