Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41998761›Full record

ArticleImplementation science communications2026

Difference-making factors in implementing a quality improvement program for sleep apnea in stroke/TIA patients.

Nicholas A Rattray, Edward J Miech, Dawn M Bravata, K Maya Story, Laura J Myers, Brian B Koo, Laura Burrone, Ali Sexson, Stanley E Taylor, Anthony J Perkins and 2 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Implementation science communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04322162 (Addressing Sleep Apnea Post-Stroke), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04322162 naunknown statusnot on this map

Addressing Sleep Apnea Post-Stroke (ASAP)

TypeinterventionalSponsorVA Office of Research and DevelopmentRan2020 to 2024Enrolled6ConditionsIschemic Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), Obstructive Sleep ApneaArmsASAP Intervention Quality Improvement Protocol
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Nicholas A RattrayDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA. Nicholas.rattray@va.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9683-889X
Edward J MiechDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Dawn M BravataDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
K Maya StoryDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Laura J MyersDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Brian B KooNeurology Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
Laura BurronePain Research, Informatics, and Multi-Morbidities, and Education (PRIME) Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
Ali SexsonDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Stanley E TaylorDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Anthony J PerkinsDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Joanne DaggyDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research (HSR) Expanding Expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Jason J SicoNeurology Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.

Funding

Health Services Research and Development I01HX002324HSRD VA I01 HX002324HSRD VA I50 HX003205
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffective prevention of ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) involves timely, guideline-concordant risk factor management. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a significant but underdiagnosed cerebrovascular risk factor, affects approximately 70% of stroke and TIA patients. Untreated OSA is linked to impaired post-stroke recovery, recurrent vascular events, and increased mortality. Despite guideline recommendations to consider early post-stroke/TIA OSA screening, few patients receive sleep studies. This study explores the implementation of a multidisciplinary quality improvement intervention for OSA management at six Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers between 2021 and 2024, focusing on contextual factors influencing implementation success.

methodsThis mixed-methods study used data from the Addressing Sleep Apnea Post-Stroke/TIA (ASAP) stepped-wedge cluster-randomized clinical trial (NCT04322162). We conducted qualitative analyses of provider interviews and quantitative assessments via configurational comparative methods (CCMs) to identify difference-making conditions for successful implementation. The Group Organization (GO) score, a facility-level measure indicating team cohesion and activation in diagnosing and treating OSA among patients with acute cerebrovascular events, served as the primary implementation outcome.

resultsSuccessful implementation, defined by a GO score of ≥ 6, was achieved at four of the six facilities. Four conditions were sufficient by themselves for implementation success: implementation of sleep test ordering, monitoring sleep testing processes, post-discharge care coordination, and positive influence of champions during implementation.

conclusionsThis study highlights the interplay between local context and novel clinical practices in successful program implementation of an acute sleep service. Four difference-makers perfectly distinguished between sites with and without implementation success. These findings provide actionable insights for tailoring and timing implementation strategies to improve adoption.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04322162.

Indexed as

Configurational comparative methodsEvaluationIntervention fitLocal contextMixed methodsObstructive sleep apneaQuality improvementStroke

Identifiers

PMID41998761
PMCPMC13224654

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.