TACTICS-Trial of Advanced CT Imaging and Combined Education Support for Drip and Ship: evaluating the effectiveness of an 'implementation intervention' in providing better patient access to reperfusion therapies: protocol for a non-randomised controlled stepped wedge cluster trial in acute stroke

Introduction Stroke reperfusion therapies, comprising intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), are best practice treatments for eligible acute ischemic stroke patients. In Australia, EVT is provided at few, mainly metropolitan, comprehensive stroke centres (CSC). There are significant challenges for Australia's rural and remote populations in accessing EVT, but improved access can be facilitated by a 'drip and ship' approach. TACTICS (Trial of Advanced CT Imaging and Combined Education Support for Drip and Ship) aims to test whether a multicomponent, multidisciplinary implementation intervention can increase the proportion of stroke patients receiving EVT. Methods and analysis This is a non-randomised controlled, stepped wedge trial involving six clusters across three Australian states. Each cluster comprises one CSC hub and a minimum of three primary stroke centre (PSC) spokes. Hospitals will work in a hub and spoke model of care with access to a multislice CT scanner and CT perfusion image processing software (MIStar, Apollo Medical Imaging). The intervention, underpinned by behavioural theory and technical assistance, will be allocated sequentially, and clusters will move from the preintervention (control) period to the postintervention period. Primary outcome Proportion of all stroke patients receiving EVT, accounting for clustering. Secondary outcomes Proportion of patients receiving IVT at PSCs, proportion of treated patients (IVT and/or EVT) with good (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-2) or poor (mRS score 5-6) functional outcomes and European Quality of Life Scale scores 3 months postintervention, proportion of EVT-treated patients with symptomatic haemorrhage, and proportion of reperfusion therapy-treated patients with good versus poor outcome who presented with large vessel occlusion at spokes. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from the Hunter New England Human Research Ethics Committee (18/09/19/4.13, HREC/18/HNE/241, 2019/ETH01238). Trial results will be disseminated widely through published manuscripts, conference presentations and at national and international platforms regardless of whether the trial was positive or neutral.