The Angels Initiative Surpasses 1,000 Registrations for Acute Stroke Training

Australia and New Zealand, Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:52

Global program equips HCPs for optimal acute stroke treatment

A major initiative to ensure patients receive optimal, time-critical acute stroke treatment has reached the major milestone of more than 1,000 registrations for healthcare professional training across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

The Angels Initiative, a partnership between the World Stroke Organization (WSO), European Stroke Organisation and Boehringer Ingelheim, aims to optimise treatment standards in stroke centres worldwide and improve patient outcomes by setting global benchmarks for best practice stroke care.

In Australia, this includes healthcare professional training on best-practice response to stroke scenarios presented through online training, strengthening stroke care access and protocols. This training is particularly vital in regional areas where access to stroke specialists may be limited, and general physicians must manage stroke cases with minimal support.

Associate Professor Andrew Wong, President of the Australasian Stroke Academy which co-developed the Basic Physician Trainee training within the Angels Initiative program in Australia, said he was delighted to see so many doctors, nurses and paramedics upskilled in stroke assessment and treatment through this partnership.

“We are pleased to work alongside the Angels Initiative team to deliver training that will better equip more healthcare professionals in the fight against stroke,” he said.

“Acute stroke treatment remains a race against time. Unfortunately, specially-trained stroke physicians are not available to manage all stroke patients in all parts of the country. That’s why our partnership with the Angels Initiative is so important to ensure a wider range of healthcare professionals are equipped to assess stroke patients and initiate an efficient and effective emergency response.”

Dr Alberto de la Hoz, Medical Director at Boehringer Ingelheim Australia and New Zealand, expressed immense pride in the company’s commitment to improving acute stroke care.

“More than 100 strokes will occur in Australia today alone.¹ Training such as this is important as more than half of eligible Australian stroke patients miss out on treatment that could reduce their risk of death or disability².

“That’s why it’s incredibly rewarding to know we are equipping healthcare professionals and hospitals with training and resources to apply best-practice in acute stroke management so patients can be treated quickly and effectively,” he said.

The Angels Initiative has garnered impressive participation, with over 1,080 registered healthcare professionals from 136 hospitals across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. This includes >600 physicians, 300 nurses, and 125 ambulance personnel, allied health professionals, and trainee doctors. The growth and expansion of the Angels Initiative reflect the dedication of Boehringer Ingelheim and its partner organisations in transforming stroke care across the region.

About Stroke in Australia

More than 27,000 Australians will have their first stroke event each year³
The number of Australians living with stroke will double to 819,900 in 2050³
Stroke caused 8,703 deaths in 2020³
Regional Australians 17% more likely to suffer a stroke³
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 1.3x more likely to die from stroke³
The costs of stroke to Australian society, including Government, was $6.2 billion in 2020.³
Over half of eligible stroke patients miss out on treatments that reduce disability and death.²

About the Angels Initiative
The Angels Initiative is a healthcare intervention launched by Boehringer Ingelheim in partnership with the World Stroke Organization and European Stroke Organisation dedicated to improving stroke patients’ chances of survival and a disability-free life.

An estimated 7.5 million patients have been treated in over 7,500 Angels hospitals in more than 191 countries, including more than 1,400 new stroke-ready hospitals established across the world with the help of Angels.

About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that transform lives, today and for generations to come. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term, sustainable perspective. More than 53,000 employees serve over 130 markets in the two business units Human Pharma and Animal Health.
Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com

About the Australasian Stroke Academy
The Australasian Stroke Academy is a not-for-profit organisation composed of a diverse group of physicians who practice stroke medicine with the focus on the development and delivery of education in stroke medicine to the expert group and wider community. The Academy’s aim is to provide continuing medical education via its annual scientific and education meeting, educational modules, collaboration with various stroke organisations both national and international and through the promotion of research. The Academy’s vision is to establish itself as a facilitator of quality stroke care through the promotion of stroke physician education which empowers and equip the physicians to serve the community better.