In 2020-2022, the North Estonian Medical Center (NEMC) is taking part in a nationwide Stroke Patient Pathway Pilot Project that aims to improve the lives of both stroke patients and their families. The new support system will include a personalised stroke nurse-coordinator, an easy-to-use mobile app to guide the recovery process for the patient and family, post-stroke consortium meetings in acute care and three-month follow-up in post-stroke cases that involve the patient’s care team as well as their family members, a digital platform that enables better communication between the patient’s acute care team, his/her GP and social support services (e.g. the local government), a post-stroke community for people with speaking difficulties that involves group-based therapeutic activities between people in a similar situation and experience counselling by someone who has already suffered and recovered from a stroke. The pilot also initiated collecting PROMs and using a bundled payment system.
In 2020-2022, the North Estonian Medical Center (NEMC) is taking part in a nationwide Stroke Patient Pathway Pilot Project that aims to improve the lives of both stroke patients and their families. The project consists of three major parts: testing new support systems and services, collecting ICHOM Standard Set for Stroke patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), and using the bundled payment system to finance the recovery process.
In Estonia, over 4000 people suffer from stroke each year. About 45% of these people will experience some loss of function (e.g. difficulties speaking, moving or understanding others), and approximately 20% of them pass away within one month. For that reason, improved services are needed to encourage better recovery and lower the mortality rate.
The NEMC is the largest acute stroke care center in Estonia. During the project, the NEMC is testing six different support systems and services to improve the integrated care pathway for stroke patients and their families:
- A personalised stroke nurse-coordinator who follows the patient’s recovery for 1 year post-stroke and provides useful information based on the patient’s needs.
- An easy-to-use mobile app to guide the patient and their family throughout the recovery process.
- Post-stroke consortium meetings in acute care and three months post-stroke that involve the patient’s care team as well as their family members.
- A digital platform that enables better communication between the patient’s acute care team, his/her GP and social support services (e.g. the local government).
- A post-stroke community for people with speaking difficulties that involves group-based therapeutic activities between people in a similar situation.
- Experience counselling by someone who has already suffered stroke and has recovered from it.
The new support systems are being tested amongst 100 NEMC stroke patients and their families, in addition to collecting PROMs and using the bundled payment system. In 2022, the NEMC, together with the Estonian National Health Insurance Fund, will decide on the wider application of these services in a day-to-day clinical practice.
NEMC Project Manager for the Stroke Patient Pathway Pilot is Triin Naudi, triin.naudi@regionaalhaigla.ee
Discover the North Estonia Medical Centre (NEMC) Foundation
The NEMC is one of the top healthcare providers in the country. It was established in 2001 by the Republic of Estonia. As a tertiary level regional hospital, it has the highest-level competence to provide specialised medical care and ambulance services, to be the learning base of training that precedes and follows the acquiring of health care professionals’ qualifications and does health care related study and research work. Our Case mix index is 1.68.
A patient-centred institution committed to professionalism, innovation and teamwork, NEMC has over 5000 people – doctors, nurses, caregivers and specialists – working for the good of patients. The hospital consists of seven clinics and 32 specialist centres. In a year, the Medical Centre gives specialised medical care to ca 144 000 patients. NEMC offers medical care in all specialist fields other than obstetrics.
