Background and Purpose:
Stroke is the first leading cause of death in China and millions of patients were admitted to various levels of hospitals each year. However, it is unknown how many of these hospitals are able to provide an appropriate level of care for stroke patients since the certification program of comprehensive stroke center (CSC) and primary stroke center (PSC) has not been initiated in China.
Method:
In 2012, we selected all 554 hospitals that joined into the China Stroke Research Network (CSRN) to start a survey. These hospitals were from 31 provinces or municipalities, covered nearly the entire Mainland China. A six-page questionnaire was sent to each of them to obtain the stroke facility information. We used the same criteria and definitions for CSC, PSC, and minimum level for any hospital ward (AHW) admitting stroke patients with that of the European Stroke Facilities Survey.
Results:
For all the hospitals in CSRN, 521 (94.0%) returned the questionnaire, 20 (3.8%) met criteria for CSC, 179 (34.4%) for PSC, 64 (12.3%) for AHW, and 258 (49.5%) met none of them and provided a lower level of care. Hospitals meeting criteria for CSC, PSC, AHW, and none of them admitted 70 052 (8.8%), 334 834 (42.2%), 88 364 (11.1%), and 299 806 (37.8%) patients in the whole of last year. There was no 24-hour availability for brain CT scan in 4.3% of hospitals not meeting criteria for AHW, while neither stroke care map nor stroke pathway for patients admission in 81.0% of them.
Conclusions:
Less than two fifths of Chinese hospitals admitting acute stroke patients have optimal facilities, and nearly half even the minimum level is not available. Our study suggests that only one half acute stroke patients are treated in appropriate centers in China, facilities for hospitals admitting stroke patients should be enhanced and certification project of CSCs and PSCs may be a feasible choice.
How can integrative physiology advance stroke research and stroke care?
