Ensuring More Patients Survive Stroke

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Appropriate care can be the difference between life and death. Through the Get Ahead of Stroke Campaign®, Vanguard supports Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) efforts to ensure more patients survive and thrive after stroke. We helped SNIS launch the campaign in 2016, when only one state had appropriate protocols for stroke triage and transport. We have helped build public awareness through a sophisticated materials portfolio that includes a website, videos, state-by-state fact sheet series, infographics and promotional materials; integrated media outreach; and a mobile app designed for first responders. We recently rebranded the campaign to reinforce a key message — getting to the right place the first time — and position Level 1 stroke centers as the best care option for patients experiencing a severe stroke. An effective campaign strategy has been developing partnerships with health professionals, policymakers, EMS personnel, and advocacy organizations to get important perspectives and storylines about stroke experiences. Today, the campaign partnership has motivated more than 40 states to implement lifesaving triage and transport protocols favorable to stroke patients. Efforts to educate EMS and patients about identifying and acting on stroke have produced impressive results, with 30,000+ mobile app downloads, and 300 million+ media impressions.