Who Provides Care for Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke?
The practice of acute stroke care is dependent on patient access to skilled physicians and technology in a stroke center committed to treat acute stroke as an emergency. Intravenous thrombolysis can be administered safely and effectively in small hospitals, preferably under the guidance of stroke specialists. Subsequent acute stroke care should be provided in specialized stroke centers. Stroke centers should be able to care for patients with all subtypes of stroke, including hemorrhagic strokes that require treatment by a neurosurgeon. Expert-level care has been shown to improve the care of patients with acute stroke.54–56 Formal stroke center recognition can help to consolidate resources such as diagnostic capabilities and personnel trained to implement evidence-based practices, and also to bring public attention to the location of these centers of expertise. In 2000, the Brain Attack Coalition proposed 2 types of stroke centers: primary and comprehensive.57 A primary stroke center ha
Related Questions
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- Is admission medically justified for all patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack?
