In the study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers compared the cases of 66 patients brought to the hospital in NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s CT scanner-equipped, neurologist-staffed mobile units to those of 19 suspected stroke patients who received standard hospital treatment.
While 29 of the patients in the mobile units were diagnosed with stroke and treated immediately while traveling to the hospital, the nine patients transported via ambulance who were diagnosed with stroke did not receive treatment until they arrived at the hospital. On average, patients were able to receive care about half an hour faster in the mobile stroke units.
“When it comes to stroke treatment, 30 minutes can be the difference between making a full recovery from a stroke and living independently, or becoming disabled and needing help with the activities of daily living,” said lead author Matthew Fink, MD, neurologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
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