Abstract TP389: Utilizing A Stroke Protocol to Improve Stroke Prevention Education

Background: Although stroke is a preventable disease, it remains a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Public knowledge of stroke prevention is relatively low. Stroke education is necessary to improve this knowledge deficit. Primary care providers play an important role in stroke education due to their ability to reach more patients and their ability to help manage the patient’s modifiable risk factors. The purpose of this project is twofold: to increase stroke knowledge in patients and to increase the amount of stroke education provided by the primary care provider. Methods: A stroke prevention protocol was created for primary care providers to utilize. The protocol helps the provider decide which patients benefit the most from stroke prevention education. If the patient has more than four stroke risk factors, the provider should initiate the stroke prevention protocol. The protocol assists the provider in delivering the stroke prevention education. Brochures were created for the provider to give to the patient. The goal of the project is to include five providers in Kentucky primary care offices. Each provider will complete an evaluation of the protocol after using it for a month. Results: Although the implementation is currently in progress, it is anticipated that the stroke protocol will improve stroke prevention education in the primary care office. Ultimately, practice will be changed by increasing the number of people who receive stroke prevention information by their primary care provider. Conclusion: Stroke education can be incorporated into primary care office visits to improve community awareness regarding stroke prevention. It is anticipated that the implementation of the stroke protocol will increase the amount of stroke education delivered to patients in the primary care setting. The evaluations completed by each healthcare provider are predicted to reflect an increase in the number of patients who receive stroke education. These evaluations will include the healthcare provider’s insight of the protocol which will assist in improving it for future use in primary care office visits.