Winona Health has received recognition for its participation in the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Stroke post-acute care initiative to enhance guideline-based care for stroke patients, ultimately improving and prolonging lives.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the U.S. and approximately 800,000 people each year experience a new or recurrent stroke, according to the American Heart Association’s 2025 statistical update. Participation in the American Heart Association’s post-acute care initiative can help facilities support faster and more effective recovery from stroke through standardized coordination, adherence and implementation of evidence-based care.
“Participating in this Post-Acute Stroke Care initiative has been an incredible opportunity for Winona Health, our patients, and our caregivers,” said Maria Pellowski, Winona Health’s Trauma and Stroke Program Coordinator. “Through this partnership, our team has gained access to valuable resources, education and support services that help us provide the best possible care for stroke survivors in our community.”
Evidence-based rehabilitation and secondary prevention interventions improve recovery after stroke and reduce secondary complications. However, stroke rehabilitation expertise, processes of care, and educational resources vary among sites where post-acute care is delivered. The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, developed quality standards based on the Association’s 2016 Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery to address these gaps.
The post-acute care initiative provides a framework for assisting facilities to improve care according to the American Heart Association’s rigorous science-based requirements for stroke rehabilitation, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management and quality improvement.
“The initiative has enhanced our knowledge in areas such as improving clinical care, promoting patient mobility and developing easy-to-understand education materials for patients transitioning home after a stroke,” Pellowski said. “We are excited to continue using these tools to evaluate and strengthen our post-acute stroke care services and to support future quality improvement efforts.”
Facilities participating in the post-acute care initiative receive a participation stipend and site-specific quality improvement support and process improvement ideas surrounding quality standards for stroke recovery, rehabilitation and secondary prevention. Facilities also have the opportunity to be part of a learning collaborative, working with experts in stroke rehabilitation to build tools and share and create best practices. Participation improves collaboration between post-acute care facilities and others involved in stroke care, including hospitals and outpatient providers.
“We are grateful to the American Heart Association for investing in rural healthcare and helping ensure that stroke survivors in our community have access to high-quality rehabilitation and recovery support close to home,” said Pellowski.
Mission: Lifeline Stroke is the American Heart Association’s community-based initiative to develop systems of care to improve outcomes for stroke patients. The program launched in Minnesota in September 2024 with the support of a $4 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The goal of Mission: Lifeline stroke is to bring together hospitals, emergency medical services and first responders, rehabilitation facilities, communications and regulatory agencies, state and local government, and payers to forge a proactive system of stroke care that saves and improves lives.
