North Carolina Coverdell Stroke Program
In July 2021 the CDC entered into a cooperative agreement with the North Carolina Division of Public Health’s Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch (CCCPH) and the Stroke Advisory Council to implement the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program in North Carolina for three years ending June 29, 2024. The goals and objectives of the NC program include the following:
- Reduce disparities for those at risk of stroke and for stroke patients
- Strengthen the Stroke System of Care
- Build a stroke registry within the HIE (Health Information Exchange)
- Fund hospitals, EMS agencies, and community organizations to improve their local stroke systems of care
North Carolina Hospital Systems Funded through Coverdell
- Cape Fear Valley Health System/Cumberland County Health System conducted Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) training for EMS and hospital staff.
- Mission HCA is conducting a blood pressure measurement with stroke and expanded their project by partnering with Cone Memorial Hospital. Mission Hospital will also partner with a Community Paramedic program in Yancey County to conduct post-stroke follow up care.
- Northern Regional Hospital is identifying the primary care population at highest risk for stroke and monitoring healthcare disparities by comparing traditional Medicare patients to Advantage Medicare and commercial patients. They are also implementing a QI project with Surry County EMS to improve pre-hospital care and stroke care transfers.
- Novant Health is developing a screening report to identify patients at highest risk for stroke and to integrate social determinants of health metrics. They will also improve care within EMS and hospital settings and improve transitions of care through QI and Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) training in six counties across the state.
- ECU Health is developing and implementing the Stroke Awareness and Management (SAM) Initiative to provide education for youth at risk for stroke comorbidities and to teach them risk modification strategies. This initiative will be implemented across nine northeastern NC counties in partnership with the nine community hospitals and the public school systems serving those counties.
