One-Third of Americans Don’t Have Access to Stroke Center Within One Hour

Survey data indicates that over one-third of the U.S. population is unable to be treated by a stroke center within an hour of ambulance response, due to geographic scarcity of these centers. The study, published in the journal Neurology, by an author from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, reports data from 2010 in which the 811 certified stroke centers in the U.S. were profiled and measured in distance. Travel distance, under ideal conditions via ambulance, was measured for the general population to their nearest stroke center. There were no centers certified as comprehensive centers, which the author argues is inhibiting overall treatment success. “There are geographic differences in stroke incidence, especially in rural areas and in the Stroke Belt,” the author said. “Reduced access to specialized stroke care in these areas has the potential to worsen these disparities. This emphasizes the need for oversight of developing systems of care.” The study recommends the conversion of a small portion of primary stroke centers into comprehensive centers to statistically give the general population an enhanced chance of receiving ideal care. To learn more about this study, click here.