National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Stroke Prevention and Management Across the Continuum of Care 

In the United States, stroke is the third leading cause of death, and it is a leading cause of severe long-term disability. More than 700,000 people will have a stroke this year; of these, 200,000 will be recurrent strokes. Including both direct and indirect costs, the estimated cost of stroke was almost $62.7 billion in 2007. The provision of high-quality inpatient stroke care is one of the most critical services a hospital can provide, reflecting the efficiency of the hospital and its ability to coordinate care provided within its walls as well as with outside providers. This report presents 17 NQF-endorsed voluntary consensus standards that aim to make care more patient centered, prevent reoccurring strokes, and improve quality across a stroke episode, including acute care, post-acute follow-up, rehabilitation, and post-rehabilitation. A measure of acute stroke mortality also was endorsed.