2021 Stroke Center Quality and Outcomes Report

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) strives to provide the highest quality stroke care using national standard performance measures. This report shows how Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center ranks in stroke care compared to all New England medical centers.

Performance data from January to December, 2021

The national benchmark goal is ≥85%.

Performance measure DHMC New England medical centers

Discharged on anti-thrombotic therapy

Percent of patients discharged on a blood thinner to prevent another ischemic stroke.

 100% 96.1%

Anti-coagulation for atrial fibrillation/flutter

Percent of patients treated with a blood thinner at discharge when they have an abnormal heart rhythm that could cause blood clots.

 100% 97.7%

Thrombolytic therapy

Percent of patients who arrive to the hospital within 2 hours of stroke symptoms and treated with a clot busting medication within 3 hours of symptom onset.

 100% 90%

Anti-thrombotics by hospital day #2

Percent of patients treated with a blood thinner within two days after admission to prevent further ischemic strokes.

 98.9% 94%

Discharged on a statin medication

Percent of patients treated with a cholesterol-lowering drug to reduce ischemic stroke risk.

 97.5% 94.8%

Stroke education

Percent of patients provided stroke specific education (i.e. signs/symptoms, risk factors, how to call 911…) throughout their hospitalization.

 89.3% 89.9%

Assessed for rehabilitation

Percent of patients who have been evaluated by a member of the rehabilitation team to assess needs for recovery therapy.

 98.6% 96.1%

This information is based on data retrieved from Outcomes Science Get With the Guidelines® data.

DHMC stroke outcomes report 2021

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center’s Stroke Program monitors outcomes for all ischemic stroke patients who have emergent neuro-interventions.

In 2021 DHMC performed 54 emergent thrombectomy procedures. This procedure attempts to remove the clot from a major blood vessel in the brain.

Performance measure DHMC New England medical centers

TICI** reperfusion grade of 2B or higher

Percent of ischemic stroke patients who had meaningful improvement of blood flow to their brain after undergoing a mechanical embolectomy (a surgical procedure to remove the blood clot from the brain).

 84% 84%

Hemorrhagic transformation after IV Alteplase

Percent of ischemic stroke patients who develop significant bleeding in the brain within 36 hours after receiving a clot-busting medication. The lower the percentage, the better.

 1.0% 2.0%

Hemorrhagic transformation after IA (intra-arterial) Alteplase (tPA) or Thrombectomy

Percent of ischemic stroke patients who develop significant bleeding in the brain within 36 hours after undergoing a surgical procedure to remove a blood clot from the brain. The lower the percentage, the better.

 8.5% 6.9%

Arrival to skin puncture (procedure start)

Median time from hospital arrival to the time of skin puncture to access the artery for a thrombectomy procedure.

Goals:

  • 60 min if coming from an outside hospital (OSH)
  • 90 minutes if coming from scene to DHMC or stroke after admission
OSH to DHMC

52 min
(Range: 19-117min)

Direct to DHMC

98 min*
(Range: 51-147 min)

All cases

67 min*

*This includes patients who have a stroke after admission
OSH to all New England hospitals

39 Min
(Range: 0->180 min)

Direct to all New England hospitals

93 min
(Range: 21->180min)

All cases

66 min

This information is based on data retrieved from Outcomes Science Get With the Guidelines® data.

**Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) scale is a score used to grade brain tissue revascularization.