Poster: A co-created and personalised digital support package for stroke survivors and their families: ‘My Stroke Companion’

This poster was presented at the Welsh Stroke Conference in June 2023. It represents My Stroke Companion – the programme, co-created with UCLH, which offers personalised advice and support for stroke survivors and their care givers as they navigate life after stroke.

Download the poster here

Abstract

A co-created and personalised digital support package for stroke survivors and their families: ‘My Stroke Companion’

Dr Louis Stokes¹, Daisy Allington¹, Dr Alice Wood¹, Mala Rai², Dr Arvind Chandratheva³, Dr Rob Simister³

¹Cognitant Group Ltd, Oxford, UK, ²East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust (EKHUFT), Kent, UK, ³National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Queen Square and UCLH, Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU), London, UK

Introduction

It is well-established that many stroke survivors lack a comprehensive understanding of their diagnosis, care plan or treatment. Patients, therefore, have less engagement with their care and are at higher risk of non-compliance to treatment regimes, increasing the risk of stroke recurrence and long-term disability.

‘My Stroke Companion’ is an accessible digital support package co-created alongside NHS hospitals, charities, stroke survivors and caregivers. The platform is designed to provide personalised, reliable, and localised information to stroke survivors and their families, including about type of stroke, prescribed medicines, rehabilitation, and navigating life after stroke.

Method

Over a four-week period, we piloted “prescription” of the first iteration of the platform to patients presenting to the UCLH Comprehensive Stroke Service. This work aimed to measure patient and clinician acceptance of My Stroke Companion upon discharge from hospital after stroke by analysing platform engagement and feedback via questionnaires.

Results

During the pilot, 127 people accessed the platform with a 14-minute average session duration, compared with a 2-minute industry standard. Information about type of stroke was most viewed. Patients felt their understanding of their stroke and subsequent care plan increased after accessing the platform and clinicians provided favourable feedback, noting direct benefits to patient recovery.

Conclusion

Following a stroke, information should be accurate, tailored, and accessible. Pilot data from ‘My Stroke Companion’ suggests the benefits of, and appetite for, curated digital resources. The platform is being iteratively developed with stakeholders, based on our learnings, and further evaluated across 5 NHS sites, including East Kent.