Saving stroke patients around the world

When Thomas Fischer and Jan van der Merwe from Boehringer Ingelheim founded the Angels Initiative five years ago, the mission was clear; to increase the number of patients treated in stroke ready hospitals and to optimize the quality of treatment in existing stroke centers all around the world - in developed and emerging regions alike. Since its formation, the Initiative has built a global community of stroke centers and stroke-ready hospitals, working every day to improve the quality of treatment for every stroke patient and thus to reduce the burden of stroke for countless patients.  

“The maybe most important success factor of the initiative,” says Fischer, “are our extremely motivated Angels consultants and Angels managers around the world. Our Boehringer Ingelheim colleagues work tireless to change and improve the life of patients. Whenever they see a chance to improve the processes in these stroke units or to refine and streamline our services, they immediately act. But every life saved makes our efforts worthwhile,” he concludes.  

Quantifiable progress  

Apart from the qualitative help the Angels consultants provide, the hard numbers testify to their success:  

• Over 5,700 registered Angels hospitals in over 130 countries – exceeding our initial target by 233 percent
• To date, more than 8.75 million patients around the world have been treated in Angels hospitals to date
• More than 64.000 healthcare professionals are registered on the Angels webpage and have access to e-learning tools offered in 17 languages  
• More than 13,500 nurses have successfully finished the e-learning stroke nurse certification  
• More than 140 Angel consultants are currently working with stroke teams in hospitals, as well as national and regional stroke associations

How the Angels Initiative will impact the health of generations  

“Our mission is more and better,” says Jan van der Merwe. “Our goal is to have at least 10,000 hospitals globally in the Angels Initiative offering support for five million stroke patients every year. In low- and middle-income countries alone the plan is to reach by 2030 more than 30 million patients in vulnerable communities. With that ambitious goal, the initiative contributes significantly to Boehringer Ingelheim’s “Sustainable development – For Generations” pillar More Health goal of providing Access to 50 million people in vulnerable communities by 2030.

By pursuing the objectives of the Angels Initiative, Boehringer Ingelheim is striving to:

• promote well-being for all, at all ages
• establish a resilient infrastructure that fosters sustainable industrialization and innovation
• strengthen the means of implementing sustainable development.

The goals of More Health are closely tied to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim wants to contribute to a better future for its employees, all humankind and our planet. Hence, it is committed to be part of the solution to global challenges, drawing its unique strengths and capabilities to make a positive impact.

Best Practice recognition  

Boehringer Ingelheim's Angels Initiative is featured 2021 as a Best Practice example for Capacity building by the Access to Medicine Initiative, recognizing how Angels is broadening patients' access to medicine by improving and expanding stroke care in over 120 countries across the globe. As hospitals around the world are struggling in face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Angels Initiative continues to support hospitals around the world to ensure that safe stroke care is available in low-, middle- as well as high-income countries.