[Evaluation of the accessibility of stroke units in Poland]

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) assumptions every patient with a stroke should be treated by a specialized stroke team or in a specialized stroke unit. The aim of our study was to evaluate the accessibility and eligibility of stroke units in Poland.

We have developed a questionnaire evaluating the structure and staff of neurological departments. The questionnaire was sent to all neurological departments in Poland in the last quarter of 2003. We grouped the departments in 5 categories: having a stroke unit of class A (fulfilling the criteria of the Experts of the National Program of Prevention and Treatment of Stroke guidelines), class B (conditionally fulfilling the criteria), class C (not fulfilling the criteria), departments having stroke units without a separate structure and departments without stroke units. The classification was shown to each provincial consultant in order to verify our data in January 2004.

We have received replies from 194 of 222 (87.4%) departments. 97 departments declared having a stroke unit: 20 -- class A, 56 -- class B, 14 -- class C and 7 -- stroke units without a separate structure. The remaining 97 departments do not have any stroke units. The most frequent problem that plays a role in the classification of departments was the deficit of staff or equipment.

The stroke unit network in Poland is developing dynamically, but a significant number of the existing stroke units need more diagnostic equipment, staff and structural changes.