The study of diagnosis status and, transfer time of stroke patients transferred by pre-hospital emergency medical system (EMS) to Vali-Asr hospital in Arak City

Introduction: Stroke is main cause of death and disability in worldwide and emergency care can decrease complications. Emergency Medical System transferred half of stroke patients to hospital, so improve accuracy of diagnosis may accelerated treatment. This study aimed to determine diagnosis status and, transfer time of stroke patients transferred by prehospital Emergency Medical System to hospital in Arak City. Methods: This study was descriptive -analytic study and all 43 patient’s records with a diagnosis of stroke that transferred by Emergency Medical System to hospital in Arak City was selected. The study Checklist was contained information about age, sex, type of accident prehospital, response time, scene time, transfer time and total time from inpatients records and Emergency Center statistics .Regarding data analysis,SPSS19 software and descriptive statistical tests were used. Results: Mean (SD) of age all patients were 73/7±3/8 and 51/2% were women. Ambulance paramedics' stroke diagnosis was correct in 15 (34/9%),20(46/5%)of false and 8(18/6%) not diagnosed for stroke patients who initially presented to them. The most common non stroke conditions were confusion. Mean response time and scene time, transfer time and total time were 6/9,16/9,9/1 and 35/3 minutes, respectively. In patients with correct diagnose stroke, mean response, scene, transfer and total time were 7,17/1,3/9 and 35/7 minutes. The people with the wrong diagnosis or no diagnosis of stroke by emergency medical personnel were taken to hospital, Mean response, scene, transfer and total time were 6/9, 16/8,9/7 and 33/5 minutes. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that, the correct diagnosis by EMS personnel could be resulted faster transferring patient to definite treatment center.It is recommended to develop prehospital diagnosis tool of stroke, which is contextually adapted and appropriate to facilitate diagnose of strokes and improve the quality of care