Innovation in stroke care delivery

This project investigated acute stroke care in Scotland. Thrombolysis is associated with improved outcomes and reduced disability for those who have suffered ischemic stroke. However, only a fraction of all patients who have suffered this type of stroke receive thrombolysis. The short time window in which treatment is beneficial means that rapid care and well-organised pathways are essential.

The project aimed to inform policy measures to increase the uptake of thrombolysis through a better understanding of hospital delays leading to delayed scanning and diagnosis. We examined the factors influencing the overall thrombolysis rate and the time between arrival to hospital and the administration of thrombolysis (door to needle time), investigated the causes of variance between hospitals in Scotland and studied the potential to improve acute stroke care by adopting a variety of measures, including innovative patient pathways via telestroke.