Faster, better-coordinated stroke care for rural communities
Regionalization of Acute Stroke Care for Rural Populations: A Systems Modeling Approach
This project uses computer models to find smarter ways for emergency responders and hospitals to get faster stroke treatment to people in rural areas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11289361 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live in a rural area and are at risk for stroke, this work looks at how emergency medical services (EMS), local hospitals, and specialized stroke centers can work together to shorten time to treatment. The team builds a decision-analytic systems model that combines real-world data on EMS routing, hospital capabilities, transfer times, and patient outcomes. They run many virtual scenarios to compare different EMS triage and transport strategies and how those choices affect access to clot-busting and clot-removing treatments. The results aim to guide regional planners and health systems on which system designs could save more lives and reduce long-term disability.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This work is focused on people living in rural U.S. communities who might experience an acute stroke and the EMS/hospitals that care for them, rather than enrolling individual patients directly.
Not a fit: Patients already served quickly by nearby comprehensive stroke centers or those not affected by acute ischemic stroke may see little direct benefit from this systems-level work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to faster treatment and fewer deaths or disabilities from stroke for people in underserved rural areas.
How similar studies have performed: Previous programs that routed suspected stroke patients directly to stroke centers have reduced treatment delays, but the best triage and transport strategies across diverse rural regions remain unproven.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patel, Mehul D. — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Patel, Mehul D.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.