March 4, 2018
Converging factors of an ageing population and critical shortages in NHS workforces has seen stroke incidence treatment and response reach a critical tipping point.
Stroke is now occurring approximately 152,000 times a year in the UK – one every 3 minutes 27 seconds – however, a shortage of specialist consultants, insufficient staffing in hospitals, and delays in treatment are leaving patients at risk of permanent injury or even death.
In Sweden, doctors and researchers have shifted their focus to stroke prevention. In Region Östergötland, Magnus Janzon and his research colleagues have developed a new clinical decision support system together with Cambio. Using patient data to identify those at a higher risk of stroke, the system can alert the physician and recommend pre-emptive prescription on the computer screen, thereby saving lives.