A recent study uncovers alarming delays in stroke care, revealing that majority of stroke patients experience prolonged wait times before receiving advanced treatments.
These delays can lead to increased risk of disability and underscore the urgent need for rapid care.
The Impact of Waiting
A study titled “Door-in-Door-out Times for Interhospital Transfer of Patients With Stroke” published in JAMA in August 2023 brought to light the critical delays in care.
The research was a collaborative effort involving experts from the University of Chicago Medicine, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, and Mountain Area Health Education Center.
“Time is brain,” a phrase often echoed in the neurology field, highlights the essential nature of rapid care for stroke patients.
Research suggests that with every 15-minute delay, the chances of a positive recovery diminish. For stroke patients, accessing the right hospital swiftly is often a matter of life or death.
Delays in Numbers
Upon examining data from over 100,000 patients in nearly 2,000 hospitals nationwide, the study found that the median wait time between a patient’s arrival and their subsequent transfer to a more equipped center was 174 minutes.
This is significantly longer than the recommended maximum of 120 minutes. It’s also important to note that these figures don’t account for the added transport time between facilities.
Consequently, it may take upwards of three hours for a patient to receive vital treatments like thrombectomy, a procedure to remove the blood clots causing the stroke.
Disparities in Care
The study also highlighted health disparities, pointing out that elderly, Hispanic, Black, or female patients experienced longer waits.
While varying disease presentations could be a factor, such disparities in stroke care emphasize the need for an equitable health care approach.
Shyam Prabhakaran, MD, MS, emphasized that everyone, regardless of their background or gender, deserves consistent care.
Lessons and Solutions
Prabhakaran emphasized the importance of reducing these delays, suggesting collaboration between health care systems and patients.
The study found that when emergency medical services (EMS) notified medical centers in advance about incoming stroke patients, the wait times reduced by about 20 minutes.
It demonstrates the immediate benefits of prompt emergency response for patients.
As a continuation of this study, Prabhakaran and his team have initiated a new research project.
The aim is to test interventions that can reduce these wait times and improve outcomes for acute stroke patients who need inter-hospital transfer.
This study could pave the way for the development of best practices in stroke care across the United States.
The essence of this research and Prabhakaran’s message is clear: rapid response and care are pivotal in stroke treatment.
Health care systems must evolve, adopt efficient clinical pathways, and ensure that all patients receive the care they urgently need.
If you care about stroke, please read studies that diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk, and MIND diet could slow down cognitive decline after stroke.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce the risk of dementia, and tea and coffee may help lower your risk of stroke, dementia.
The study was published in JAMA.
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