• MSI Background and Overview
• MSI Mission
• MSI Accomplishments
• Current Challenges
• For More Information on MSI...

The Michigan Stroke Initiative is a coalition of experts in stroke who were convened to address the burden of stroke in Michigan, including the issues, barriers and challenges, and to recommend strategies for reducing the burden.  MSI began in 1997 and has 55 individuals from 38 different Michigan agencies representing a multidisciplinary, broad-based group from different areas of the state.  Much has been accomplished in stroke care since the inception of Michigan Stroke Initiative (MSI) in 1997 and much remains to be done.

The MSI has representatives from the American Heart/Stroke Association, Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan State Medical Society, Michigan Association for Health Plans, Michigan Health and Hospital Association, Michigan Peer Review Organization, Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Greater Detroit Area Health Council, Michigan Nurses Association, Office of Services to the Aging, Michigan Public Health Institute, major Universities, pharmaceutical companies, Operation Stroke chairpersons and health care systems/agencies.

The MSI is supported by the Michigan Department of Community Health.

The mission of Michigan Stroke Initiative is to describe and monitor the stroke burden, provide guidance for strategies to raise stroke awareness, prevent stroke and improve stroke care throughout Michigan.

Some of the projects implemented and accomplishments achieved under the leadership of the MSI include:

• A survey of healthcare providers and health systems in 1997 to better understand current medical practice in acute stroke care, stroke prevention and markers in stroke knowledge.
• Adding stroke awareness questions to the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey in 1999 and 2004.
• Sponsoring three statewide professional conferences on stroke.
• Developing and maintaining a website for Michigan Stroke Initiative.
• Developing, testing and disseminating core measure for stroke risk factor assessment.
• Supporting and/or Collaborating on many stroke projects:
• “Taking on Stroke in Michigan” ( a stroke prevention initiative for primary care)
• Mock Code training for hospital staff and EMS in the Upper Peninsula
• Keystone Stroke for Quality in Stroke Care ( a quality improvement project with hospitals)
• Project Brain Save (educating EMS personnel about stroke)
• Arab American Stroke Awareness and Risk Reduction (CVD and stroke risk screening and education project)
• Stroke Risk Assessment and Prevention (STRAP) a community screening for stroke risk factors targeting African Americans
• AHA Operation Stroke
• Mascots: Michigan Acute Stroke Care Overview and Treatment Surveillance ( a part of the National Paul Coverdell Registry)
• Get With the Guidelines-Stroke
• Michigan Stroke Registry and Quality Improvement Program

Although the various projects described above have advanced the care of stroke in Michigan, challenges remain. Stroke is still the third most common cause of death in Michigan. The Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS) results indicate that Michiganders awareness of stroke risk factors and stroke warning signs is improving, slightly. BRFS results indicated that 95.4% correctly identified numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg as warning signs of stroke, 57% of Michigan adults incorrectly identified chest pain as a warning sign of stroke.  In 2007, the age adjusted percentage distributions show that 97.1% of Michigan adults have one or more of the major CVD risk factors i.e. hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, overweight, diabetes, inadequate diet and/or physical activity. In 2004 there were 5,282 residents who died of a stroke, and in 2007 there were 4,638 Michigan residents who died of a stroke. In 2006, there were 28,207 stroke related hospital discharges. It is estimated that over 200,000 Michiganians 18 years and older are stroke survivors, many living with serious impairments left by a stroke.

MSI will continue to meet to discuss the state of the art treatment for stroke, best practices, the barriers to quality stroke care, and to provide advice on solutions to the complex problems of stroke prevention, identification of signs and symptoms, transporting acute stroke patient’s, and appropriate care for stroke victims.

If you would like more information about the Michigan Stroke Initiative and the projects it supports, please contact us.