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Background: Because Korea is the fastest aging country, the stroke incidence is increasing rapidly. We investigate the trend of the number of patients with acute stroke in recent years and estimate the burden of the neurologist to treat the acute stroke patient visited the emergency department.Methods: We requested a questionnaire survey to all teaching hospitals on the number of hospital beds, the number of stroke patients who visited the emergency department, the number of stroke patients in charge of the neurologist, and the number of days on duty of residents from 2016 to 2019.Results: Of 69 teaching hospitals, 41 hospitals answered the survey. The average hospital beds per hospital were increased annually from 909 to 916. The average patients who visited the emergency department with stroke and were in charged to neurologists were rapidly increased from 799 to 867 per hospital. In particular, the number of patients with hyperacute cerebral infarction requiring the thrombolytic administration or mechanical thrombectomy were rapidly increased from 105 to 131. On the other hand, the average number of residents per hospital was decreased from 5.1 to 4.8. Therefore, the days on duty per resident were increased from 74 to 77.Conclusions: The number of acute stroke patients, especially, hyperacute stroke required the rapid cooperation and high labor were increasing rapidly in recent years. However, because the number of residents were decreased, the burden was increasing. To improve the quality of acute stroke treatment, it is necessary to increase the number of residents.

BACKGROUND The purpose of imaging is multifaceted, ranging from selecting the most appropriate patients for treatment, to avoiding those who are unlikely to benefit. In the present situation, imaging methods basically include cross-sectional imaging by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The target of the assessment is the vessels that supply the brain parenchyma and its associated part at the same / distant perfusion level. In this study, we wanted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted MR imaging with nonenhanced CT in the diagnosis of hyperacute stroke. METHODS This prospective study was conducted in Radiology Department at Narayan Medical College Rohtas, Bihar. The study group includes a sample of 45 patients who had come to the Department of Radiology within 6 hours of onset of stroke symptoms. Non-enhanced computed tomography (NECT) and MRI were done in all the patients and the results were studied. Study subjects were recruited as following inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected, entered and analysed using Microsoft Excel, Epi Info and statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. RESULTS The hyperintense ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) were typically more visually distinct and easier to distinguish than the EIS on CT scans, resulting in better overall values. When the five regions were looked at separately, DWI had higher sensitivity than CT studies, which was close to the overall EIS ranking. The basal ganglia and the insular ribbon had the greatest sensitivity in both modalities. Eight of the 14 patients were classified in the consensus rating of CT and DW imaging, resulting in a sensitivity of 57 percent for both methods, with a bad value of 0.40 for CT and a good value of 0.68 for DW imaging. CONCLUSIONS DW imaging had a higher sensitivity and interrater agreement than CT imaging in detecting early infarction. KEYWORDS Stroke, Computed tomography, MRI, Ischaemia

Background and purpose Mechanical Thrombectomy (MT) using modern devices has proved to be efficacious in re-establishing intracranial circulation and reduced procedural times. We outline a number of endovascular techniques utilizing the distal access catheter, the circumstances where they are applicable, and the outcomes achieved. Methods In this review, we describe a variety of endovascular techniques with distal access catheter, deployed with and without the stent retriever device gained from our experience of performing over 700 procedures in 10 years of providing a 24/7 service within the national framework of a hyperacute stroke centre. Results We used distal access catheter techniques for intracranial support during a stent-retriever thrombectomy or thrombo-suction on its own. When used as a sole suction device, or combined with a stent-retriever, we have been able to provide a rapid route to successful reperfusion, with minimal complications related to our endovascular procedures. We can report distal access catheter techniques works well when access to thrombi involves navigation through tortuous vessel anatomy, notably when convoluted loops in the cervical internal carotid artery are encountered. We suggest use of the distal access catheter techniques in thrombectomy procedures for steep-angle Middle Cerebral Artery occlusions, M2/M3 occlusion, and for basilar occlusion, where thrombectomy via suction alone proved to be adequate. Conclusion In this pictorial review, we have demonstrated techniques where distal access catheter when used as a sole suction device, or combined with a stent-retriever, has been able to provide a rapid route to successful reperfusion, with minimal complications related to our endovascular procedures.

Background Thrombolysis treatment varies considerably between in- and out-of-hours services. Aims This improvement initiative aimed to upskill acute stroke unit nurses as stroke thrombolysis response nurses, testing a new model of nursing in readiness for hyperacute stroke unit developments. Methods Three registered nurses were trained to a specialist competency framework. The role was tested over 28 weeks, and times to treatment milestones were measured. Thrombolysed patients from the test period were statistically compared with a matched group using a two-sample t-test in Excel. Qualitative feedback was sought from the stroke team, medical and emergency department colleagues. Findings Median out-of-hours door-to-needle time reduced from 85 to 61.5 minutes. Statistically significant differences were seen in the time to stroke unit admission (p=0.012) and swallow screen (p=0.038). Stroke and emergency department colleagues considered the role essential to out-of-hours thrombolysis treatment. Conclusions The stroke thrombolysis response nurse role reduced variation in treatment and improved timely acute stroke care. This work may inform the development of stroke nursing workforce models.

Introduction A proportion of patients admitted to acute-stroke settings have not had a stroke, but have conditions mimicking a stroke. Approximately 25% of suspected stroke cases are “stroke mimics” and 2% are patients with functional symptoms — “functional stroke mimics”. This study aimed to explore experiences and illness perceptions of patients with functional symptoms admitted to hyperacute stroke wards. Methods This study used mixed methods. Patients with functional stroke symptoms participated in semistructured qualitative interviews immediately after admission to one of two acute-stroke units in London and again 2 months after hospital discharge. Qualitative data were assessed using thematic analysis. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief-IPQ) measured illness perceptions at admission and at 2-month follow-up. Results A total of 36 participants completed baseline interviews and 25 completed follow-up. Six themes emerged: physical symptom experience, emotional and coping responses, symptom causes, hospital experiences, views on the future, and uncertainty after hospital discharge. Mean Brief-IPQ score at admission was 49.3 (SD: 9.9), indicating a moderate–high level of perceived illness threat. Participants presented with a range of functional symptoms. At baseline, participants were highly concerned about their symptoms, but this had decreased at 2-month follow-up. Two months later, many were confused as to the cause of their admission. Conclusion This is the first study to examine functional stroke patients’ experiences of acute-stroke admission. At admission, patients expressed confusion regarding their diagnosis, experienced high levels of emotional distress, and were concerned they were perceived as time wasting by stroke clinicians. While most participants experienced symptom recovery, there was a significant subgroup for whom symptoms persisted or worsened. A lack of care guidelines on the management of functional stroke patients may perpetuate functional symptoms.

Some hyperacute stroke patients have unfavorable outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) despite successful recanalization. We hypothesized that a cardiac parameter, moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation (MR), might decrease the rate of favorable clinical outcome after EVT in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).From our prospective EVT registry, AF patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the presence of moderate-to-severe MR, patients were assigned to either significant MR or nonsignificant MR group. The severity of MR was determined by the ratio of the color Doppler jet area to the left atrial area in mid-systole. Moderate-to-severe MR was estimated to be at a ratio of20%. Favorable outcome was defined as having a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-1 at 3 months.127 patients with AF who underwent TTE were included in the study. TTE results found that 25 (20%) patients had significant MR. Patients with significant MR were older (p = 0.051) and had enlarged left (p = 0.015) and right (p = 0.002) atria. Tricuspid and aortic regurgitation (p = 0.007 and 0.043, respectively) were more severe in significant MR group. At 3 months, favorable outcomes were 11% in the significant MR group and 26% in the non-significant MR group (p = 0.031). Multivariate regression analysis reported that moderate-to-severe MR was a negative predictor of favorable outcome (odds ratio = 0.14; 95% confidence interval = 0.02, 0.84; p = 0.031).Significant MR might prevent the clinical recovery of AF patients.

Background and Purpose— The early growth of ischemic lesions has been described as being nonlinear, with lesion growth rates at their highest during the earliest period after stroke onset. We hypothesized that the time gap from imaging to revascularization results in higher lesion growth in patients with hyperacute presentation. Methods— Fifty-one patients with ischemic stroke with initial multimodal computed tomography (CT), follow-up CT after 24 hours, and successful endovascular recanalization were included and separated into 2 groups according to their median time from symptom onset to imaging (eg, hyperacute versus acute). The difference in Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) between initial CT and follow-up CT was assessed, as well as volumetric lesion growth from early ischemic core in admission perfusion CT and total lesion volume in follow-up CT. Results— The median time from onset to imaging was 1.85 hours. There was no significant difference in admission ASPECTS (mean, 8.5 versus 8.2) or time from imaging to recanalization in both groups (median, 2.7 versus 2.4 hours; P =0.4). The mean (SD) lesion growth assessed by ASPECTS difference was 2.7 (2.3) in the hyperacute group and 1.6 (1.3) in the acute group ( P =0.03). The mean (SD) volumetric difference in the hyperacute group was 26.6 mL (43.2 mL) and 17.2 mL (26.3 mL; P =0.36) in the acute group, respectively. For every passing hour after onset, ASPECTS lesion growth was reduced by 0.4. Conclusions— Patients in the hyperacute phase showed increased ASPECTS lesion growth from imaging to recanalization suggesting a particular benefit of faster recanalization times in this group of patients with stroke.

Background In posterior circulation stroke, vertigo can be a presenting feature. However, whether isolated hemispheric strokes present with vertigo is less clear, despite a few single case-reports in the literature. Here we, a) explored the prevalence of vertigo/dizziness in acute stroke and, b) considered the cortical distribution of these lesions in relation to both the known vestibular cortex and evolution of these symptoms. Methods We conducted structured interviews in 173 consecutive unselected patients admitted to the hyperacute stroke unit at the University College London Hospitals. The interview was used to evaluate whether the patient was suffering from dizziness and/or vertigo before the onset of the stroke and at the time of the stroke (acute dizziness/vertigo), and the nature of these symptoms. Results 112 patients had subcortical lesions and 53 patients had cortical infarcts, of which 21 patients reported acute dizziness. Out of these 21, five patients reported rotational vertigo. 17 of the total 53 patients had lesions in known vestibular cortical areas distributed within the insular and parietal opercular cortices. Conclusions The prevalence of vertigo in acute cortical strokes was 9%, with no single locus of lesion overlap. There is growing evidence supporting a lateralised vestibular cortex, with speculation that cortical strokes affecting the right hemisphere, are more likely to cause vestibular symptoms than left-hemispheric strokes. We observed a trend for this association, with the right hemisphere affected in four of five patients who reported spinning vertigo at the onset of the stroke.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving and affecting healthcare systems across the world. Singapore has escalated its alert level to Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) Orange, signifying severe disease with community spread. Objectives: We aimed to study the overall volume of AIS cases and the delivery of hyperacute stroke services during DORSCON Orange. Methods: This was a single-centre, observational cohort study performed at a comprehensive stroke centre responsible for AIS cases in the western region of Singapore, as well as providing care for COVID-19 patients. All AIS patients reviewed as an acute stroke activation in the Emergency Department (ED) from November 2019 to April 2020 were included. System processes timings, treatment and clinical outcome variables were collected. Results: We studied 350 AIS activation patients admitted through the ED, 206 (58.9%) pre- and 144 during DORSCON Orange. Across the study period, number of stroke activations showed significant decline (p =0.004, 95% CI 6.513 - -2.287), as the number of COVID-19 cases increased exponentially, whilst proportion of activations receiving acute recanalization therapy remained stable ( p = 0.519, 95% CI -1.605 - 2.702). Amongst AIS patients that received acute recanalization therapy, early neurological outcomes in terms of change in median NIHSS at 24 hours (-4 versus -4, p = 0.685) were largely similar between the pre- and during DORSCON orange periods. Conclusions: The number of stroke activations decreased while the proportion receiving acute recanalization therapy remained stable in the current COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.

Background and Purpose: Left atrial appendage (LAA) is the likely embolic source in atrial fibrillation (AF)–related cardioembolic strokes. We sought to determine the prevalence of LAA thrombus on hyperacute stroke imaging and its association with AF. Methods: We retrospectively examined the clinical and radiological features of patients assessed through the hyperacute stroke imaging pathway over a 12-month period at Christchurch Hospital. The LAA was included in the computed tomography angiogram scan-range as part of the multimodal imaging protocol. Two radiological readers blinded to clinical information independently assessed for the presence of LAA thrombus. The association between AF and LAA thrombus was determined by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 303 patients included in the analysis, the overall prevalence of LAA thrombus was 6.6% and 14.9% in patients with known AF. Patients with LAA thrombus were older (85 versus 75 years, P P P =0.01), and was associated with intracranial large vessel occlusion (65% versus 39%, P =0.02). In the multivariable model, AF (odds ratio, 3.71 [95% CI, 1.25–11.01] P =0.02) was independently associated with LAA thrombus after adjusting for age and congestive heart failure. Interrater reliability was moderate (kappa=0.56). Conclusions: LAA thrombus is a potential radiological marker of AF and can be assessed as a part of hyperacute stroke imaging.

The timely meta-analysis by Tsivgoulis et al.1 is an illustration of the transformative shift in hyperacute stroke management that has characterized the last several years. Focus has appropriately expanded beyond the classic mantra, “time is brain,” to view time as a necessary, but no longer sufficient, surrogate for predicting functional outcome and to recognize that, perhaps, now “penumbra is key.” Ultimately, this is an extraordinary advance for the more than 13 million people having new stroke each year2 and the first-line health care professionals who help treat them. The summation of these studies prompted the American Heart Association to update recommendations about thrombolysis in an extended time window. 2019 Guidelines now provide a Class IIa recommendation, supporting IV alteplase administration in select patients with unclear time of onset and MRI diffusion-positive FLAIR-negative lesions who have symptom recognition within 4.5 hours.3

Background: Radiology holds an important role in evaluating patients with suspected stroke. It istherefore important to distinguish hyperacute or acute. DWI-ADC is an important modality. For ADC valuemeasurement, it is more accurate to use multiple b value. There is a significant variability of ADC values inMRI depending on the coil system, imager, vendor, magnetic field strength and multicentre. The purpose ofthe study is to find out the difference of ADC value in hyperacute and acute stroke. Analytical observationalstudy with cross sectional study approach to determine ADC values differences in Saiful Anwar HospitalMalang. Head MRI of 3T with 3 b values (0, 500, 1000) was performed on every subject. The data wereanalysed using descriptive statistic.Results: There were 12 subjects observed, 6 in the hyperacute group (onset

Background: In most countries, large cerebral artery occlusion is identified as the leading cause of disability. In 2015, five large-scale clinical trials confirmed the benefit of intra-arterial thrombectomy. However, thrombectomy is a highly technical and facility-dependent procedure. Primary stroke centers need to transfer patients to comprehensive stroke centers to perform thrombectomy. The time-lapse during interhospital transfer would decrease the chance of the patient's proper recovery. Communication barriers also contribute to this delay.Aims: We used a smartphone application to overcome communication barriers between hospitals. We aimed to shorten the door-to-puncture time of interhospital transfer patients.Methods: We began using a smartphone application, “LINE,” to facilitate interhospital communication on May 01, 2018. We carried out retrospective data analyses for all the transfer patients (n = 351), with the primary outcome being the door-to-puncture time in our comprehensive stroke center (China Medical University Hospital). We compared the three periods: May 01 to Dec 31, 2017 (before the use of the smartphone application); May 01 to Dec 31, 2018 (the 1st year of using the smartphone application); and May 01 to Dec 31, 2019 (the 2nd year of using the smartphone application). We also compared the transfer data with non-transfer thrombectomies in the same period.Results: We compared 2017, 2018, and 2019 data. The total number of transfer patients increased over the years: 63, 113, 175, respectively. The mean door-to-puncture time decreased significantly, going from 109, through 102, to 92 min. Meanwhile, the mean door-to-puncture time in non-transfer patients were 140.3, 122.1, and 129.3 min. The main reason of time saving was the change of the way of communication, from point-to-point interhospital communication to hub-to-spoke interhospital communication.Conclusions: We used this smartphone application to enhance interhospital communication, changed from the point-to-point to hub-to-spoke method. It made us overcome the communication barrier and build up interhospital connection, thus shortening the door-to-puncture time. Our experience demonstrated the importance of close communication and teamwork in hyperacute stroke care, especially in interhospital transfer for thrombectomy.

Northwick Park Hospital in London, United Kingdom (UK) is one of the busiest stroke units in the country and is located in one of the areas most heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020. Admissions to the stroke unit and changes during the peak of COVID-19 were reviewed. Compared with the previous year, mean 96 patients were admitted with suspected stroke during April and May 2020 compared with mean 116 per month in non-COVID periods, ratio 0.82, P = 0.01. This reduction involved both strokes and mimics and was unlikely to have occurred by chance. Numbers of patients thrombolysed and of patients referred for thrombectomy decreased dramatically during this time. Mechanisms by which the COVID-19 pandemic and the March lockdown may have affected admissions to the unit are discussed. Reduced admissions to the stroke unit allowed it to contribute its resources to the care of patients with COVID-19 during the peak of admissions.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving and affecting healthcare systems across the world. Singapore has escalated its alert level to Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) Orange, signifying severe disease with community spread. We aimed to study the overall volume of AIS cases and the delivery of hyperacute stroke services during DORSCON Orange. This was a single-centre, observational cohort study performed at a comprehensive stroke centre responsible for AIS cases in the western region of Singapore, as well as providing care for COVID-19 patients. All AIS patients reviewed as an acute stroke activation in the Emergency Department (ED) from November 2019 to April 2020 were included. System processes timings, treatment and clinical outcome variables were collected. We studied 350 AIS activation patients admitted through the ED, 206 (58.9%) pre- and 144 during DORSCON Orange. Across the study period, number of stroke activations showed significant decline (p = 0.004, 95% CI 6.513 to − 2.287), as the number of COVID-19 cases increased exponentially, whilst proportion of activations receiving acute recanalization therapy remained stable (p = 0.519, 95% CI − 1.605 to 2.702). Amongst AIS patients that received acute recanalization therapy, early neurological outcomes in terms of change in median NIHSS at 24 h (-4 versus -4, p = 0.685) were largely similar between the pre- and during DORSCON orange periods. The number of stroke activations decreased while the proportion receiving acute recanalization therapy remained stable in the current COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.

Background and aims Concerns have arisen regarding patient access and delivery of acute stroke care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated key population level events on activity of the three hyperacute stroke units (HASUs) within Greater Manchester and East Cheshire (GM & EC), whilst adjusting for environmental factors. Methods Weekly stroke admission & discharge counts in the three HASUs were collected locally from Emergency Department (ED) data and Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme core dataset prior to, and during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic (Jan 2020 to May 2020). Whilst adjusting for local traffic-related air pollution and ambient measurement, an interrupted time-series analysis using a segmented generalised linear model investigated key population level events on the rate of stroke team ED assessments, admissions for stroke, referrals for transient ischaemic attack (TIA), and stroke discharges. Results The median total number of ED stroke assessments, admissions, TIA referrals, and discharges across the three HASU sites prior to the first UK COVID-19 death were 150, 114, 69, and 76 per week. The stable weekly trend in ED assessments and stroke admissions decreased by approximately 16% (and 21% for TIAs) between first UK hospital COVID-19 death (5th March) and the implementation of the Act-FAST campaign (6th April) where a modest 4% and 5% increase per week was observed. TIA referrals increased post Government intervention (23rd March), without fully returning to the numbers observed in January and February. Trends in discharges from stroke units appeared unaffected within the study period reported here. Conclusion Despite adjustment for environmental factors stroke activity was temporarily modified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Underlying motivations within the population are still not clear. This raises concerns that patients may have avoided urgent health care risking poorer short and long-term health outcomes.

Background Because “time is brain,” acute stroke trials are migrating to the prehospital setting. The impact upon enrollment in post-arrival trials of earlier recruitment in a prehospital trial requires delineation. Methods We analyzed all patients recruited into acute and prevention stroke trials during an 8-year period when an academic medical center (AMC) was participating in a prehospital treatment trial – the NIH Field Administration of Stroke Treatment – Magnesium (FAST-MAG) study. Results During the study period, in addition to FAST-MAG, the AMC participated in 33 post-arrival stroke trials: 27 for acute cerebral ischemia, one for intracerebral hemorrhage, and 5 secondary prevention trials. Throughout the study period, the AMC was recruiting for at least 3 concurrent post-arrival acute trials. Among 199 patients enrolled in acute stroke trials, 98 (49%) were in FAST-MAG and 101 (51%) in concurrent, post-arrival acute trials. Among FAST-MAG patients, 67% were not eligible for any concurrent acute, post-arrival trial. Of 134 patients eligible for post-arrival acute trials, 101 (76%) were enrolled in post-arrival trials and 32 (24%) in FAST-MAG. Leading reasons FAST-MAG patients were ineligible for post-arrival acute trials were: NIHSS too low (23.4%), intracranial hemorrhage (17.9%), IV tPA used in standard management (9.0%), NIHSS too high (7.1%), and age too high (5.2%). Conclusions A prehospital hyperacute stroke trial with wide entry criteria reduced only modestly, by one-fourth, enrollment into concurrently active, post-arrival stroke trials. Simultaneous performance of prehospital and post-arrival acute and secondary prevention stroke trials in research networks is feasible.

Hypothesis: Some of hyperacute stroke patients had unfavorable outcome even when the occlusive artery was successfully opened. We hypothesized that moderate-to-sever mitral regurgitation (significant MR) might inhibit cerebral reperfusion, and thus decrease the rate of good clinical outcome after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Method: From our prospective EVT registry, patients received transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), were retrospectively analyzed. Only patients with AF were included. Based on the presence of the moderate-to-sever MR, all patient were divided into group with and without significant MR (MR group, and non-MR group). Clinical background, laboratory findings, and TTE parameters were compared between the 2 groups. Favorable outcome was defined as mRS 0-1 at 3 months. Result: From 2014 September to 2018 December, 316 patients treated with EVT, and 246 received TTE. Among them, data on 127 patients with AF were analyzed. TTE found 25 (20%) patients had significant MR. Patients in MR group were older (p=0.05) and had higher plasma level of brain natriuretic peptide (p=0.05). NIHSS, DWI-APSECTS, TICI ≥2b reperfusion, onset-to-reperfusion time, ICA occlusion (p=0.96, 0.26, 0.52, 0.33, and 0.80) were similar between the 2 groups. Regarding TTE parameters, although ejection fraction was similar (p=0.28), left atrial area (p=0.02), right atrial area (p Conclusion: The presence significant MR was related to the unfavorable outcome independent of the neurological symptom and reperfusion status on cerebral angiography.MR might prevent the clinical recovery in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background and Purpose: In September 2017, a new Hyperacute Stroke Unit (HASU) was opened in a metropolitan hospital with over 400 acute stroke admissions per year, offering endovascular clot retrieval (ECR) and IV thrombolysis; 185 ECR procedures completed in 2018. The HASU opening coincided with publication of the 2017 Australian Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management. The Guidelines state stroke severity be assessed using a validated tool, such as the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). A Quality Improvement workshop, March 2018, identified attendance of correct and reliable assessment for stroke severity as a service gap. Goal = Improve NIHSS completion on all stroke patients on presentation to hospital and 24hours post endovascular clot retrieval. This was to be achieved within 90 days of project implementation with the focus on nursing education; a new skill addition to the ward environment. Methods: Education workshops (August-September 18) were implemented with the goal of building knowledge, skills and confidence along with gaining NIHSS certification. All clinical and registered nurses were provided designated time to attend workshops. Workshops were also provided to Medical officers (January 2019) allocated to the Stroke team. Cognitive aids to assist with reducing variability in application of the NIHSS were created. These included NIHSS navigation aids to the electronic medical record, NIHSS app upload to mobile phones, paper based NIHSS assessment to assist the bedside nurses and ward round note templates with auto text for NIHSS completion. Data from three months pre and post implementation was collected and compared using the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR). All patients admitted with stroke were included in this analysis (Jan 18-April 19). Results: NIHSS completion on patient presentation increased by 12% (n=325). NIHSS completion at 24hrs for patients post ECR increased by 22% (n=163). 31 registered nurses trained; 8 medical officers trained. Conclusions: Targeted, multimodal strategies improved completion of NIHSS on presentation and particularly, 24hrs post ECR. Further implementation in the emergency department is required to gain improvements in NIHSS completion on presentation.