title: Acute stroke services in New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain an overall picture of the organisation of acute stroke management in hospitals throughout New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to all New Zealand hospitals. The survey included questions about access to organised stroke care, the presence of designated areas for stroke patient management, guidelines for stroke management and audit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were received from all hospitals surveyed, with 41 admitting stroke patients acutely. Five hospitals (four regional and one large urban) had organised inpatient care. Five hospitals (three regional and two large urban) had stroke physicians. Only 40-60% of the New Zealand population had access to hospitals with guidelines for the management of complications following stroke or secondary prevention. Only fifteen of 41 hospitals had audited local stroke care. There were few differences in the management of stroke patients between urban and regional centres, but care in some regional hospitals was 'better' than that in most large urban hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of an organised approach to inpatient stroke care in New Zealand and the training of general physcians, geriatricans and neurologists in stroke medicine must be seen as a priority.
authors.affiliation: Auckland Hospital Stroke Service. abarber@adhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: P Alan
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Neil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gommans
mesh_terms: D019091:Critical Pathways; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006757:Hospital Units; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator