Got Lipids?

Purpose:
There's an increased focus on examining the relationship between elevated lipid levels and the incidence of stroke. As a certifed stroke center,this information is reportable to the Joint Commission. Our lipid panels and treatment with statins were under the benchmark and required improvement.

Significance:
An elevated serum lipid level has been a well-documented risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Recently, there has been an increased focus on examining the relationship between elevated lipid levels and the incidence of stroke.

Strategy and Implementation:
In our monthly data analysis we noticed an opportunity for improvement. We attempted letters to physicians, discussing the situation at staff meetings and finally decided to attempt a web alert through Web VS, directed to the physician caring for the patient. The stroke nurses were responsible for sending a web alert if the patient had not had a lipid panel drawn or if the patient came in on statins but was not placed on statins, or if the patient's LDL is above 100. We decided to try the web alert method for a few months, monitor the progress, then reanalyze our data to decide if this was improving the quality of care we delivered to our patients. It certainly has demonstrated improvement.

Evaluation:
We tracked data,looked at what we had tried to improve the compliance that failed. Gone from low compliance of about 40% to compliance of about 95%. The physicians appreciate the reminder. It created wonderful collaboration with them. It has improved the quality of care we provide to our patients.

Implications for Practice:
The alerts are simple to do and it has improved the quality of care we provide to our patients and it has improved the reportable Joint Commission measure necessary as a certified Stroke Program.W e strive for 100% compliance in the JC lipid measure.