[Recommendations on telestroke in Europe].

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Telemedicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Many European rural areas lack stroke specialists, leading to underserved populations.
• Telestroke (telemedicine in stroke care) is safe, enhances evidence-based therapy use, and covers remote areas.
• This paper adapts European Stroke Organization telestroke recommendations for network setup.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize European Stroke Organization Telestroke Committee recommendations.
• To guide the establishment of effective telestroke networks across Europe.
• To improve stroke care accessibility in underserved rural regions.

Main Methods:

• Adapted translation of European Stroke Organization telestroke recommendations.
• Identification of criteria for hospital selection in telestroke networks.
• Categorization of hospitals into a hub-and-spoke network model.

Main Results:

• Hospitals should be selected based on population density, transport, geography, and resources.
• Three hospital categories are defined: Telemedicine Stroke Centre, telemedicine-assisted stroke Unit, and telemedicine-assisted stroke-ready hospital.
• These categories facilitate a structured hub-and-spoke network approach.

Conclusions:

• Implementing structured telestroke networks can overcome geographical and specialist limitations.
• Standardized criteria and hospital categories are crucial for successful telestroke network implementation.
• These recommendations aim to enhance stroke care delivery in underserved European areas.