ESOC 2021 | The Angels Initiative: striving for equal stroke care across Europe

The Angels Initiative was established to try to increase the number of patients treated in stroke ready hospitals and to optimize the quality of treatment in all existing stroke centers. Using in situ simulations, education, and quality improvement monitoring, the initiative is working to implement equal stroke care across Europe. Valeria Caso, MD, PhD, FESO, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy, talks on how the Angels Initiative uses the RES-Q quality registry to measure centers’ stroke activity over time and assess the changes implemented. Areas assessed include average door to needle time, recanalization procedure rate, CT/MRI imaging rates for suspected stroke patients, and dysphagia screening. Prof. Caso notes that it is now important to maintain the improved care that has been achieved in centers across Europe and continue to make equal stroke care for all a major priority. This interview took place at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC), 2021.