title: Facilities for acute stroke patients care in the Czech Republic: nationwide epidemiological study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the Czech Republic (CR). Specialized in-patient stroke unit care improves the outcome of stroke patients. The aim of the study was to chart and improve the current facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neurological in-patient departments exist in 75% of the districts in the CR, and in the capital Prague. Questionnaires were sent to all 79 neurological in-patient departments. A chi2 test was used for the evaluation of statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is better access to intensive/intermediary care beds (statistically not significant) and to angiography (statistically significant) in the districts with a population density of over 151 inhabitants per km2 than in districts with a lower population density (p = 0.09 and p = 0.008). Stroke patients have access within 1 hour to computed tomography of the brain in all but one, and to laboratory tests in all districts with a neurological in-patient department(s). There is no statistically significant difference in the availability of ultrasound examination of extracranial brain arteries between the sparse, and more populated districts (p = 0.715).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facilities for the establishment of stroke units are quite good in the majority of highly populated areas; however, they are worse in some of the larger towns. The results of the study must be used to further improve the development of stroke care in the CR.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Center, Clinic of Neurology, Faculty Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic. herzig.roman@sznam.cz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herzig
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Urbánek
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vlachová
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krupka
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Janout
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mares
mesh_terms: D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D018153:Czech Republic; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011156:Population Density; D011383:Progressive Patient Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014850:Waiting Lists