Massachusetts' Recent Stroke Triage Protocol Updates Will Save Lives, Reduce Disability, Says SNIS

Bay state budget includes a stroke system of care directive that will help patients survive and thrive

FAIRFAX, Va., Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts patients experiencing stroke could soon have access to refined treatment, triage and transport protocols based on a provision in the state's new budget that directs the Department of Public Health to develop a tiered system for transporting patients to hospitals that have various designations for providing stroke care.

This lifesaving change in policy, signed by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey earlier this month, reflects an amendment proposed by State Senator Mark Montigny. This amendment updates the previous system, which allowed emergency medical personnel to take stroke patients to the nearest hospital, no matter their stroke severity or the ability of that hospital to treat these patients and their conditions. The Department of Health has 180 days to enact this new requirement.

Nearly two million brain cells die every minute a stroke goes untreated. It is, therefore, essential that stroke patients are taken directly to a hospital where they can receive the proper care based on the type of stroke they are experiencing. By assessing stroke severity and taking patients to facilities best equipped to treat their specific types of strokes, emergency medical systems have the potential to reduce disability and death, as well as lower the immense costs associated with long-term health care.

"This is a gamechanger for our region and a big win for stroke patients in Massachusetts, who just improved their odds significantly of surviving a severe stroke," said Dr. Mahesh Jayaraman, an interventional neuroradiologist at Rhode Island Hospital and president of the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS). "Senator Montigny has long been beating this drum, realizing the potential of science to save lives when it comes to stroke. Not all strokes are the same, and his persistence will help ensure that those with severe strokes are taken to facilities that can treat them right away."

Stroke is the sixth leading cause of death in Massachusetts and a leading cause of lifelong disability in the U.S. Research shows, however, that severe stroke patients' outcomes can be significantly improved when they receive thrombectomy — a procedure that removes clots in the brain and restores blood flow. 

The SNIS Get Ahead of Stroke Campaign has coordinated efforts nationwide to improve stroke care through policy changes like those reflected in the Massachusetts budget. To date, approximately 40 states have updated regional or state-wide stroke protocols to help ensure patients have access to lifesaving care.

To speak with Dr. Jayaraman, please contact Camille Jewell at cjewell@vancomm.com or 202-248-5460.

Get Ahead of Stroke is a national public education and advocacy campaign designed to improve systems of care for stroke patients. Founded in 2016 by SNIS, today the campaign is supported by a coalition of organizations with the goal of securing the best possible outcomes for stroke patients by driving policy change and public awareness nationwide.

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SOURCE Get Ahead of Stroke