title: Do integrated stroke services impact on the 'cost' of stroke?
abstract: The clinical efficacy of specialist stroke care is proven; however, corresponding economic analyses are limited. Baeten and colleagues present an analysis of the effects of an integrated stroke service and report cost-effectiveness compared with usual care. Improving efficiency of the stroke survivor's journey is an attractive intervention and this article is a welcome addition to the emerging literature on the subject. Overall, data on integrated services are encouraging, but not definitive. The article highlights the challenges of performing longer-term economic analysis in stroke care and highlights certain deficiencies in our current understanding of the economics of post-acute stroke care.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Walton Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G4 0SF, UK. terry.quinn@glasgow.ac.uk
authors.forename: Terence J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Quinn