WSO/SIECV Certification Of Stroke Centers In Latin America And Caribbean

10 Jan 2022

From the left to right: Luiz Claudio Themudo, Minister Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy in Montevideo; Hernán Montenegro, PAHO representative in Uruguay; Daniel Salinas, Minister of Public Health of Uruguay; Sheila Martins, President-Elect of WSO; Gabriela Gómez, director of the Department of International Relations of the MoH and Ignacio Amorín, coordinator of the Brain Health program of the MoH

The WSO/SIECV certification of stroke centers was launched in March 2021 as a priority step to guide the national stroke care by evidence-based pathways in the region. The program is based on the WSO Roadmap for Quality of Stroke Services, an evidence-based tool that provides the framework for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of stroke services globally.

The criteria for certification were structured by experienced WSO and SIECV members working in collaboration with the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology / Mission Thrombectomy and together with country Medical Societies and Health Managers. Committees have been created in 11 Latin America countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Mexico, Uruguay) supported by an international team of stroke experts. A total of 80 people are currently working on the implementation of the program.

Quality care certification involves no fees for participating hospitals – public or private – with assesment costs being supported through sponsorship from Boehringer, Medtronic, Rapid AI, Siemens and Penumbra.

Certification process - step by step

1. Self- Assessment tool – to facilitate the evaluation of the status of hospitals and the need for improvement before to apply for certification

2. Application for Certification in the web platform: all mandatory items are considered. Beyond the minimal mandatory requirements, hospitals will need to reach at least 75% of recommended elements to obtain WSO/SCIEV Certification.

3.If the online assessment confirms the criteria for certification have been met this is followed by an in person scheduled site visit by a specialist stroke physician and a stroke nurse.

4.The stroke team should be certified for stroke care. The Angels Initiative educational tools, the Stroke Centers Course from Medtronic Academy, the RAPID AI course, Global Stroke Alliance and National educational stroke courses (with certification) can be used to support further education of the stroke team.

5.Specific WSO educational resources and modules will be available for participating centres on the World Stroke Academy Website in Spanish and Portuguese in 2022.

6.After the onsite visit a board review will confirm the final certification.

A total of 45 hospitals have already filled out the online pre-certification criteria (countries distribution in the picture). Four Brazilian hospitals have completed the certification process and following board review in September, 20 2021 and were fully certified. In December 2021 onsite visits took place in Uruguay with the participation of the Ministry of Health and the Neurology Society. The on-site team visited three hospitals in Montevideo: Hospital de Clinicas, Hospital Maciel and Medica Uruguaya. A further meeting with Minister of Health of Uruguay Dr Daniel Salinas, Dr Ignacio Amorin, Coordinator of the Brain Health program, Director of the International Relacions of Uruguay, representative of Pan American Health Organization and BraziIian Embassy representative discussed the importance of the Stroke Care Certification program for the country and the implementation of the National Stroke Plan for Uruguay, including implementation of stroke centers, stroke units, IV thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, supported by the Ministry of Health.

The next onsite visits will be to institutions in Argentina and Colombia.

If you want to find out more, please visit the website: http://www.globalstrokealliance.com/en/certificatio