The Role of EMS in the Management of Acute Stroke: Triage, Treatment, andStroke Systems
This position replaces the former position statement entitled Acute Stroke: Implications for Out-of-Hospital Care
The National Association of EMS Physicians believes that:
Patients with acute stroke symptoms should receive expeditious EMS dispatch andresponse.
EMS personnel should be knowledgeable in the assessment, management, andtriage of suspected stroke patients. Personnel should be skilled in the performance of prehospital stroke screening andin determining the timing, onset, andnature of symptoms.
Because some acute stroke treatments require the provision of definitive care within a specific time frame, EMS personnel should communicate with the receiving facilities as soon as possible.
EMS protocols should be consistent with evidence-based tre-atment practices for stroke pa-tients andshould be consistent with local/regional resources.
EMS systems andmedical directors should develop local/regional strategies for treating, triaging, andtransporting patients with acute stroke symptoms, including the identification of centers that are capable of treating acute stroke patients andthe criteria for identifying the patients who should be transported to such centers.
Approved by the NAEMSP Board of Directors, August 28, 2006.