title: Health care resources for stroke patients in Spain, 2010: analysis of a national survey by the Cerebrovascular Diseases Study Group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is currently a major social health problem. For this reason, the Spanish Ministry of Health approved the Stroke National Strategy (SNS) in 2008 to improve the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of stroke patients. This plan intends to guarantee 24-hour, 365-days neurological assistance in the whole country by the end of 2010. Our aim was to analyse the situation of stroke assistance in Spain in 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  A committee of neurologists practicing in the different autonomous communities (AC), and who had not participated in the preparation of the SNS, was created. A national survey was performed including the number of stroke units (SU) and their characteristics (monitoring, 24-h/7-day on-call neurology service, nursing staff ratio and the use of protocols), bed ratio of SU/100,000 people, availability of intravenous thrombolysis therapy, neurovascular intervention (NI) and telemedicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included data from 145 hospitals. There are 39 SU in Spain, unevenly distributed. The ratio between SU bed/number of people/AC varied from 1/75,000 to 1/1,037,000 inhabitants; Navarra and Cantabria met the goal. Intravenous thrombolysis therapy is used in 80 hospitals; the number of treatments per AC was between 7 and 536 in 2008. NI was performed in the 63% of the AC, with a total of 28 qualified hospitals (although only 1 hospital performed it 24h, 7 days a week in 2009). There were 3 hospitals offering clinical telemedicine services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assistance for stroke patients has improved in Spain compared to previous years, but there are still some important differences between the AC that must be eliminated to achieve the objectives of the SNS.
authors: Sección de Neurología, Hospital Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas, España. jclopezfdez@gmail.com
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: López Fernández
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Arenillas Lara
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Calleja Puerta
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Botia Paniagua
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Casado Naranjo
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Deyá Arbona
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Escribano Soriano
authors: M M
authors: MM
authors: Freijo Guerrero
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Geffners Sclarsky
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gil Núñez
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gil Peralta
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gil Pujadas
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Gómez Escalonilla
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Lago Martin
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Larracoechea Jausoro
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Legarda Ramírez
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Maestre Moreno
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Manciñeiras Montero
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mola Caballero De Rodas
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Moniche Álvarez
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Muñoz Arrondo
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Vidal Sánchez
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Purroy García
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Ramírez Moreno
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Rebollo Álvarez Amandi
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Rubio Borrego
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Segura Martin
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Tejada García
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Tejero Juste
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Masjuan Vallejo
mesh_terms: D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders; D003625:Data Collection; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006295:Health Resources; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D009462:Neurology; D012952:Societies; D013030:Spain; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D017216:Telemedicine; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents