Community Intent to Activate Emergency Medical Services May Be Associated with Regional tPA Treatment

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Mellanie V. Springer ◽  
Ran Bi ◽  
Lesli E. Skolarus ◽  
Chun Chieh Lin ◽  
James F. Burke
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Regional Variation ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Behavioral Risk ◽  
Treatment Rate ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Symptom Recognition ◽  
Stroke Symptom ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Lower Accuracy

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Acute stroke treatments are underutilized in the USA. Enhancing stroke preparedness, the recognition of stroke symptoms, and intent to call emergency medical services (EMS) could reduce delay in hospital arrival thereby increasing eligibility for time-sensitive stroke treatments. Whether higher stroke preparedness is associated with higher tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment rates is however uncertain. We therefore set out to determine the contribution of stroke preparedness to regional variation in tPA treatment. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The region was defined by hospital service area (HSA). Stroke preparedness was determined by using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey questions assessing stroke symptom recognition and intent to call 911 in response to a stroke. We used Medicare data to determine the percentage of tPA-treated hospitalized stroke patients in 2007, 2009, and 2011, adjusting for number of stroke hospitalizations in each HSA (primary outcome). We performed multivariate linear regression to estimate the association of regional stroke preparedness on log-transformed tPA treatment rates controlling for demographic, EMS, and hospital characteristics. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The adjusted percentage of stroke patients receiving tPA ranged from 1.4% (MIN) to 11.3% (MAX) of stroke/TIA hospitalizations. Across HSAs, a median (IQR) of 86% (81–90%) of responses to a witnessed stroke indicated intent to call 911, and a median (IQR) of 4.4 (4.2–4.6) out of 6 stroke symptoms was recognized. Every 1% increase in an HSA’s intent to call 911 was associated with a 0.44% increase in adjusted tPA treatment rate (<i>p</i> = 0.05). Lower accuracy of recognition of stroke symptoms was associated with higher adjusted tPA treatment rates (<i>p</i> = 0.05). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> There was little regional variation in intent to call EMS and stroke symptom recognition. Intent to call EMS and stroke symptom recognition are modest contributors to regional variation in tPA treatment.

Abstract WP261: Non-English-preferring Patients Have No Differences in Stroke Symptom Recognition or Emergency Care Time Metrics

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaw Natsui ◽  
Khawja A Siddiqui ◽  
Betty L Erfe ◽  
Nicte I Mejia ◽  
Lee H Schwamm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Language Preference ◽  
Emergency Department Care ◽  
Hospital Arrival ◽  
Stroke Symptom ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Significant Difference

Introduction: The influence of patients’ language preference on the delivery of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) care in the pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency care settings is scarcely known. We hypothesize that stroke knowledge differences may be associated with non-English preferring (NEP) patients having slower time from symptom discovery to hospital presentation and less engagement of emergency medical services (EMS) than English preferring (EP) patients. Language barriers may also interfere with the delivery of time-sensitive emergency department care. Objectives: To identify whether language preference is associated with differences in patients’ time from stroke symptom discovery to hospital arrival, activation of emergency medical services, door-to-imaging time (DIT), and door-to-needle (DTN) time. Methods: We identified consecutive AIS patients presenting to a single urban, tertiary, academic center between 01/2003-04/2014. Data was abstracted from the institution’s Research Patient Data Registry and Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Registry. Bivariate and regression models evaluated the relationship between language preference and: 1) time from symptom onset to hospital arrival, 2) use of EMS, 3) DIT, and 4) DTN time. Results: Of 3,190 AIS patients who met inclusion/exclusion criteria, 9.4% were NEP (n=300). Time from symptom discovery to arrival, and EMS utilization were not significantly different between NEP and EP patients in unadjusted or adjusted analyses (overall median time 157 minutes, IQR 55-420; EMS utilization: 65% vs. 61.3% p=0.21). There was no significant difference between NEP and EP patients in DIT or in likelihood of DIT ≤ 25 minutes in unadjusted or adjusted analyses (overall median 59 minutes, IQR 29-127; DIT ≤ 25 minutes 24.3% vs. 21.3% p=0.29). There was also no significant different in DTN time or in likelihood of DTN ≤ 60 minutes in unadjusted or adjusted analyses (overall median 53 minutes, IQR 36-73; DTN ≤ 60 minutes 62.5% vs. 58.2% p=0.60). Conclusion: Non-English-preferring patients have similar response to stroke symptoms as reflected by EMS utilization and time from symptom discovery to hospital arrival. Similarly, NEP patients have no differences in in-hospital AIS care metrics of DIT and DTN time.

scholarly journals Contacting out-of-hours primary care or emergency medical services for time-critical conditions - impact on patient outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Breinholt Søvsø ◽  
Morten Bondo Christensen ◽  
Bodil Hammer Bech ◽  
Helle Collatz Christensen ◽  
Erika Frischknecht Christensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Critical Conditions ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
Icu Stay ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Time Critical ◽  
Hospital Contact

Abstract Background Out-of-hours (OOH) healthcare services in Western countries are often differentiated into out-of-hours primary healthcare services (OOH-PC) and emergency medical services (EMS). Call waiting time, triage model and intended aims differ between these services. Consequently, the care pathway and outcome could vary based on the choice of entrance to the healthcare system. We aimed to investigate patient pathways and 1- and 1–30-day mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) stay and length of hospital stay for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke and sepsis in relation to the OOH service that was contacted prior to the hospital contact. Methods Population-based observational cohort study during 2016 including adult patients from two Danish regions with an OOH service contact on the date of hospital contact. Patients <18 years were excluded. Data was retrieved from OOH service databases and national registries, linked by a unique personal identification number. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to assess mortality in relation to contacted OOH service with OOH-PC as the reference and cox regression analysis to assess risk of ICU stay. Results We included 6826 patients. AMI and stroke patients more often contacted EMS (52.1 and 54.1%), whereas sepsis patients predominately called OOH-PC (66.9%). Less than 10% (all diagnoses) of patients contacted both OOH-PC & EMS. Stroke patients with EMS or OOH-PC & EMS contacts had higher likelihood of 1- and 1–30-day mortality, in particular 1-day (EMS: OR = 5.33, 95% CI: 2.82–10.08; OOH-PC & EMS: OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.06–9.01). Sepsis patients with EMS or OOH-PC & EMS contacts also had higher likelihood of 1-day mortality (EMS: OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.40–3.51; OOH-PC & EMS: OR = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.56–5.23) and 1–30-day mortality. Risk of ICU stay was only significantly higher for stroke patients contacting EMS (EMS: HR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.51–3.75). Stroke and sepsis patients with EMS contact had longer hospital stays. Conclusions More patients contacted OOH-PC than EMS. Sepsis and stroke patients contacting EMS solely or OOH-PC & EMS had higher likelihood of 1- and 1–30-day mortality during the subsequent hospital contact. Our results suggest that patients contacting EMS are more severely ill, however OOH-PC is still often used for time-critical conditions.

scholarly journals Variability in Criteria for Emergency Medical Services Routing of Acute Stroke Patients to Designated Stroke Center Hospitals

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 743-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolay Dimitrov ◽  
William Koenig ◽  
Nichole Bosson ◽  
Sarah Song ◽  
Jeffrey Saver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Stroke ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Stroke Center

Adherence to Guidelines by Emergency Medical Services During Transport of Stroke Patients Receiving Intravenous Thrombolytic Infusion

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. e42-e45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Asaithambi ◽  
Saqib A. Chaudhry ◽  
Ameer E. Hassan ◽  
Gustavo J. Rodriguez ◽  
M. Fareed K. Suri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Adherence To Guidelines ◽  
Emergency Medical

Hospital Prenotification of Stroke Patients by Emergency Medical Services Improves Stroke Time Targets

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. McKinney ◽  
Krishna Mylavarapu ◽  
Judith Lane ◽  
Virginia Roberts ◽  
Pamela Ohman-Strickland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Emergency Medical

Abstract W P187: Utilization of Emergency Medical Services to Transfer Acute Stroke Patients Directly to Scanning Reduces the Length of Time to Scan Result

Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Dunbar ◽  
Theresa Hoffecker ◽  
Avery Schwenk
Keyword(s):  
Acute Stroke ◽  
Ct Scan ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Mean

Background: Rapid assessment and treatment of acute stroke patients including computerized tomography (CT) scanning to determine the need for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been shown to be vital to positive patient outcomes. As part of an ongoing effort to reduce door-to-needle time for such patients, the door-to-CT result time was identified as an area that could be reduced by collaborative effort between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Emergency Department (ED) staff. We hypothesized that implementing an EMS protocol for direct-to-CT scanning as part of a collaborative stroke alert protocol would reduce overall door-to-CT result time. Methods: Local EMS and ED implemented criteria to alert the ED of acute stroke patients being transported to their facility. This alert included an estimated time of arrival and was sent to radiology, neurology, registration and pharmacy. Upon arrival, the patient was met by ED personnel while still on the EMS gurney. If the ED physician concurred with the field impression of acute stroke, the patient was taken directly to CT scanning by EMS. Data on time of door-to-CT result were collected from 7/9/12 to 7/8/13 and divided into those patients who received a stroke alert from EMS (n=41), and those who did not (n=81). All data are expressed as mean ± standard error. Results: The time for door-to-CT result was reduced (p<0.0001) for patients who received a stroke alert from EMS [16.5 ± 1.2 vs 31.6 ± 1.5 minutes, alert vs no alert, respectively]. Similarly, in the subset of patients who received tPA after the CT scan, the mean time door-to-CT scan results was reduced (p<0.005) in those patients who received a stroke alert from EMS (14.3 ± 1.1 vs 36.4 ± 7.3 minutes, alert vs no alert, respectively). Conclusions: Implementation of a stroke alert including a direct-to-CT protocol by EMS significantly reduced the mean door-to-CT result time in acute stroke patients. Expanding this protocol to include other area EMS services and hospitals could potentially result in a greater number of patients benefiting from these reduced times.

Abstract 206: Pre-notification by Emergency Medical Services is Associated with More Timely Evaluation and Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Stroke ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Lin ◽  
Eric D Peterson ◽  
Eric E Smith ◽  
Jeffrey L Saver ◽  
Li Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen ◽  
Get With The Guidelines

Background: The benefits of intravenous tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) in acute ischemic stroke are time-dependent. Emergency medical services (EMS) pre-notification of stroke arrivals may provide a means of reducing evaluation and treatment times. In this study we used data from the nationwide Get With The Guidelines Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) program to determine the effect of EMS pre-notification on acute ischemic stroke processes of care. Methods: Acute ischemic stroke patients transported by EMS to 1585 GWTG-Stroke hospitals from April 2003 to March 2011 were studied. The association between EMS pre-notification and door-to-imaging (DTI) times, door-to-needle (DTN) times, onset-to-needle times (OTN), and tPA treatment rates were analyzed using multivariable GEE regression analyses. Results: Of 371,988 EMS transported acute ischemic stroke patients, EMS pre-notification occurred in 249,197 (67.0%). Patients with pre-notification had shorter door-to-imaging times, shorter onset-to-needle times, and were more likely to be treated with tPA when eligible ( Table ). EMS pre-notification was independently associated with increased odds of DTI ≤25 minutes (adjusted OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.44–1.63, p<0.0001), DTN times ≤60 minutes (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.10–1.31, p<0.0001), OTN times (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.25, p<0.0001), and tPA use within 3 hours among eligible patients arriving by 2 hours (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.50–1.79, p<0.0001), without significant increases in complications of thrombolytic therapy. Conclusion: EMS pre-notification is independently associated with more rapid patient imaging and increased timeliness in IV tPA administration. These results support the need for initiatives targeted at increasing EMS pre-notification rates as a mechanism from improving quality of care and outcomes in acute ischemic stroke.

scholarly journals Clinical Characteristics of Elderly Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Calling Emergency Medical Services

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 164-167
Author(s):  
In Hwan Lim ◽  
Hyung Jong Park ◽  
Hyun Young Park ◽  
Kyeong Ho Yun ◽  
Dae-Han Wi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Emergency Medical

Abstract 102: Use of Emergency Medical Services by Stroke Patients

Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron M Anderson ◽  
Heidi Sucharew ◽  
Kathleen Alwell ◽  
Charles J Moomaw ◽  
Opeolu Adeoye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Time Window ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Stroke Severity ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Stroke Awareness ◽  
Prior Stroke

Introduction: Rapid evaluation and treatment with rt-PA is the hallmark of acute stroke care, yet only a fraction of ischemic stroke patients arrive within the time window for treatment. National stroke awareness campaigns have attempted to increase community awareness of stroke with action plans to call 911. We sought to compare the use of emergency medical services (EMS) by stroke patients between 2005 and 2010. Methods: Stroke and TIA patients were identified in a population of 1.3 million in the Greater Cincinnati area in 2005 and 2010. Patient charts were abstracted by research nurses and reviewed by study physicians. For this analysis, patients must have resided at home and presented to a local ED. Proportion of EMS users was computed. Logistic regression was used to test for associations of EMS use with age, race, sex, prior stroke, stroke type and severity, and setting (home, work, other) where stroke occurred. Results: There were 2546 stroke cases identified in 2005 and 2704 in 2010 which met criteria for analysis. The mean age was 68 years (SD 15), 54% female, and 20% black in both study periods. EMS use did not change between study periods, 52.7% in 2005 and 52.0% in 2010 (p=.64). In both study years, increasing age, increasing stroke severity, and hemorrhagic stroke were associated with EMS use. History of prior stroke was associated with increased EMS use in 2005, but this association was not seen in 2010. Sex, race, and the setting where stroke occurred were not associated with EMS use. Discussion: Rates of EMS use in our population-based study are still only about 52% and did not increase between 2005 and 2010. Community stroke awareness campaigns should include an action plan containing the urgency of calling 911 as soon as any stroke symptoms occur.

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