title: Stroke service in The Netherlands: an exploratory study on effectiveness, patient satisfaction and utilisation of healthcare.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether shared care for stroke patients results in better patient outcome, higher patient satisfaction and different use of healthcare services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, comparative cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two regions in The Netherlands with different healthcare models for stroke patients: a shared care model (stroke service) and a usual care setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stroke patients with a survival rate of more than six months, who initially were admitted to the Stroke Service of the University Hospital Maastricht (experimental group) in the second half of 1997 and to a middle sized hospital in the western part of The Netherlands between March 1997 and March 1999 (control group).
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional health status according to the SIP-68, EuroQol, Barthel Index and Rankin Scale, patient satisfaction and use of healthcare services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 103 patients were included in this study: 58 in the experimental group and 45 in the control group. Six months after stroke, 64% of the surviving patients in the experimental group had returned home, compared to 42% in the control group (p<0.05). This difference could not be explained by differences in health status, which was comparable at that time. Patients in the shared care model scored higher on patient satisfaction, whereas patients in the usual care group received a higher volume of home care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Stroke Service Maastricht resulted in a higher number of patients who returned home after stroke, but not in a better health status. Since patients in the usual care group received a higher volume of healthcare in the period of rehabilitation, the Stroke Service Maastricht might be more efficient.
authors.affiliation: Dutch Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands. H.Rosendal@pg.tno.nl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rosendal
authors.forename: C A M
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wolters
authors.forename: G H M I
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Beusmans
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: de Witte
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boiten
authors.forename: H F J M
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Crebolder