Emergency transport of stroke suspects in a rural state: opportunities for improvement

Time delay is the key obstacle for receiving successful stroke treatment. Alteplase therapy must start within 4.5 hours from stroke occurrence. Rapid transport to a primary stroke center (PSC) or acute stroke –ready hospital (ASRH) by the emergency medical system (EMS) paramedics is vital. We determined transport time and destination data for EMS-identified and -delivered stroke suspects in Arkansas during 2013. Our objective was to analyze transport time and the hospital qualification for stroke care across the state.
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research