Acute stroke management in Turkey: Current situation and future projection.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Rising incidence of acute stroke in Turkey, partly due to an aging population.
• The publication and implementation of the "Directive on Health Services to be Provided to Patients with Acute Stroke" in 2019/2021 marked a significant advancement in stroke care management.
• The directive initiated a period of critical updates and improvements in the national approach to acute stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the progress and key developments in acute stroke management in Turkey following the 2019 directive.
• To highlight the establishment of a nationwide network of stroke centers and the training of interventional neurologists.
• To emphasize the ongoing need for quality standardization and continuous system improvement in acute stroke care.

Main Methods:

• Certification of 57 comprehensive stroke centers and 51 primary stroke centers, covering approximately 85% of the population.
• Training of approximately 50 interventional neurologists to lead stroke centers.
• Implementation of the "inme.org.tr campaign" to boost public knowledge and awareness of stroke symptoms and response.

Main Results:

• Significant expansion of specialized stroke care infrastructure across Turkey.
• Development of a national network of stroke centers and a growing pool of trained interventional neurologists.
• Successful public awareness initiatives, including the "inme.org.tr campaign", conducted even during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Turkey has made substantial strides in establishing a robust system for acute stroke management.
• The established infrastructure and public awareness efforts provide a strong foundation for future advancements.
• Continued focus on homogeneous quality metrics and system development is crucial for sustained improvement in patient outcomes.