Evidence shows that transporting patients to stroke capable facilities improves functional outcome. Some state and local guidelines support or even require the transport of a patient to a stroke facility as opposed to the nearest facility.
Stroke-ready hospitals include primary stroke centers, comprehensive stroke centers and Telestroke capable facilities. These separate entities are defined by the scope and capability of the services offered. [2] [11]
New recommendations for stroke systems of care to improve patient outcomes American Published by the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, in the journal Stroke. May 2019:
"The policy statement recommends that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) should consider additional travel time of up to 15 minutes to reach a hospital capable of administering intravenous alteplase and/or performing endovascular thrombectomy for patients suspected of having a severe stroke."
The updated statement states that intravenous alteplase, a clot-dissolving therapy, and endovascular thrombectomy, a procedure to remove a clot mechanically, must be administered quickly to be effective. Not every hospital is able to deliver these services - EMS should be aware of the nearest Stroke-ready hospital. [74]
