The Tuscany Stroke Network: Team is Brain

In January 2015 a major system change for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) care was implemented across the entire Tuscany region: the Tuscany Stroke Network (TSN). AIS patients are first taken to the nearest spoke hospital for possible t-PA treatment, assessed for eligibility to endovascular intervention, and quickly transferred to the hub hospital, where appropriate. We investigated differences in quantity of treatments for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients before and after the TSN implementation, to explore and monitor its effectiveness.