Development of an emergency department response to acute stroke ("Code stroke")

Minimizing delays is a crucial step in improving outcomes with acute stroke therapies whose efficacy is clearly time dependent. Logistic and human barriers to rapid stroke care can be overcome with a systematic "Code Stroke" approach provided by a structured multidisciplinary acute stroke response team. Such teams should include Emergency Medical Services providers, neurologists, neurosurgeons, diagnostic radiologists, nurses, radiology technicians, laboratory personnel, hospital administrators, and emergency medicine, intensive care, and neurointerventional physicians. An acute stroke team improves treatment practices and provides a gratifying experience for patients, families, and referring physicians. On the other hand, maintaining proficiency of the team's operation is time consuming and personally onerous for team responders. Successful maintenance requires strong departmental and institutional commitment.