A multilevel intervention to increase community hospital use of alteplase for acute stroke (INSTINCT): a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Use of alteplase improves outcome in some patients with stroke. Several types of barrier frequently prevent its use. We assessed whether a standardised, barrier-assessment, multicomponent intervention could increase alteplase use in community hospitals in Michigan, USA.

Methods

In a cluster-randomised controlled trial, we selected adult, non-specialty, acute-care community hospitals in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA. Eligible hospitals discharged at least 100 patients who had had a stroke per year, had less than 100 000 visits to the emergency department per year, and were not academic comprehensive stroke centres. Using a computer-generated randomisation sequence, we selected 12 matched pairs of eligible hospitals. Within pairs, the hospitals were allocated

SUBMITTER: Scott PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3939784 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature