Is Node Community Hospital Successful for Stroke Fast Track?
Jantasri S, MD1,2, Tiamkao S, MD2,3, Sirikarn P, PhD4, Sawanyawisuth K, MD PhD5
Affiliation : 1 Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Udon Thani Hospital, Udon Thani, Thailand 2 Integrated Epilepsy Research Group, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 3 Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 4 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 5 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Objective : To compare readiness of the stroke fast track system between Udon Thani Hospital and its node community hospitals in
terms of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) treatment.
Materials and Methods : This study was a retrospective, descriptive study. We studied numbers of adult patients diagnosed as acute
ischemic stroke and participated in stroke fast track with or without rtPA treatment. The study sites included Udon Thani Hospital
and four node community hospitals. The outcomes of the study were onset to door time (minute), door to needle time (minute) and
onset to needle time (minute).
Results : There were 8,796 acute ischemic stroke patients in Udon Thani province during the study period. There were significant
differences in the three outcomes between both groups. The median onset to door and onset to needle times were shorter in the
node community hospitals than Udon Thani Hospital (85 vs. 120 minutes and 147 vs. 175 minutes). But, the door to needle time was
shorter in Udon Thani Hospital than noder community hospitals (50 vs. 58 minutes).
Conclusion : Node community hospital for stroke fast track is feasible in terms of rtPA treatment compared with the main referral
hospital.
Keywords : Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, Stroke fast track, Community hospital
