Regional Disparities in Stroke Care

Administration of tissue plasminogen activator for eligible stroke patients was provided far less often by nonmetropolitan than by metropolitan hospitals.

Quality of care for stroke patients is often measured by appropriate administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and is influenced by availability of neurologists in person or via telemedicine services.

Investigators used data from the 2015 Hospital Compare database to determine the proportion of eligible acute stroke patients who received tPA in metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan hospitals.

More patients received tPA in large metropolitan hospitals than in nonmetropolitan hospitals (83% vs. 52%). Certified stroke centers in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas provided higher-quality care than noncertified hospitals.

Reviewing Author

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Regional Disparities in Stroke Care

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Reviewing Author