Identifying Best Practices for Improving the Evaluation and Management of Stroke in Rural Lower-Resourced Settings: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Considerable variation exists in the delivery of acute stroke care and stroke outcomes across settings and population groups. This is attributable in part to variation in resources among emergency departments in the United States, most notably in rural regions. Structural constraints of the US health care system, including the geographic distribution of where patients live relative to the location of hospitals and certified stroke centers, will continue to mean that many patients with stroke initially present to community emergency departments that have fewer stroke-related resources. These sites also tend to serve populations in rural areas who experience disparities in care and outcomes. Reducing health disparities related to stroke for populations in rural areas requires investment in these more remote community settings as the anchor of the stroke chain of survival for their respective communities. This scientific statement performs a critical appraisal examining challenges in rural stroke care related to access and variation in stroke-related capabilities for the acute phase of care to inform strategies and propose solutions. The scientific statement considers the value of expansion of Acute Stroke Ready Hospital and Primary Stroke Center certification in rural areas, the role of telehealth and improved transfer processes, as well as increased engagement and mentorship from larger, comprehensive centers to the rural hospitals to which they are connected. Multistakeholder collaboration and policy interventions need to be directed to enhance public awareness, impart staff training, grow infrastructure, enhance access to clinical expertise, streamline data management, and implement quality assessment and improvement programs.