The Lithuanian Stroke Database: selection of national stroke care performance measures

Austeja Dapkute¹Justas Trinkūnas²Daiva Rastenyte³Vaidas Matijošaitis³Saulius Taroza^4,5Dalius Jatuzis¹Sandra Baužaitė-Babušienė⁶Aleksandras Vilionskis¹Andrius Klimašauskas⁷Julius Juodakis⁸Julius Jaramavičius⁹Rytis Masiliūnas^1*

• ¹Clinic of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
• ²Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Fundamental Sciences, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
• ³Department of Neurology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
• ⁴Laboratory of Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Palanga, Lithuania
• ⁵Klaipėda University Hospital, Klaipėda, Lithuania
• ⁶Department of Neurology, Republican Panevėžys Hospital, Panevėžys, Lithuania
• ⁷Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
• ⁸State Data Agency, Vilnius, Lithuania
• ⁹Clinic of Emergency Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

The Lithuanian Stroke Database (StrokeLT) aims to automate data collection and key performance indicator (KPI) monitoring across all stroke-ready hospitals, addressing the limitations of manual processes and facilitating evidence-based improvements in stroke care nationwide. This publication outlines the selection process and target values of the KPIs designed to standardise and enhance stroke care quality in Lithuania.The database will include all adult patients diagnosed with stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), admitted to Lithuanian stroke-ready hospitals, encompassing approximately 9,582 annual stroke and 1,899 TIA admissions based on 2023 data. The database will ensure comprehensive national coverage by integrating data from stroke centres via a centralised electronic health record system.Main variables: A total of 52 KPIs were selected through a multi-stage Delphi process involving national experts and guided by international standards. These KPIs include 44 process metrics, such as timeliness metrics, early rehabilitation, and availability of secondary prevention, as well as 8 outcome metrics, including functional recovery, completion of a patient feedback survey and mortality. This framework enables comprehensive monitoring across all stages of patient care, as well as incorporating valuable patient feedback.The Lithuanian Stroke Database establishes a standardised automated framework for monitoring stroke care using 52 KPIs, selected through a multi-stage Delphi process involving all relevant stakeholders.