During the 2008 General Assembly § 32.1-111.3, the Statewide Emergency Medical Care System, was amended to add “as a component of the Emergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Stroke Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for stroke patients to appropriate, organized stroke care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for stroke care and generally accepted criteria for stroke triage and appropriate transfer”. The legislation was assed as a result of a Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) study.
The JCHC also recommended the establishment of a Virginia Stroke Systems Task Force (VSSTF). The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has accepted this recommendation and the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Project (HDSP) within the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control will be managing the VSSTF on behalf of VDH; OEMS will represent the EMS System on the task force. The first VSSTF meeting was held on September 19, 2008.
OEMS will be evaluating how to best incorporate Stroke Triage into the EMS System in a similar manner as our existing Trauma Triage. Updates and resource information will be added to this Webpage as they become available. Below are some popular links that relate to stroke care and EMS.
OEMS Planning Information (coming soon)
Virginia Stroke Systems of Care: Work Plan
Virginia Stroke Systems Task Force (coming soon)
Virginia Strokes Systems
VDH Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Project
American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS)
NIH/NINDS Know Stroke Website