Does bypassing nearby hospitals for high-quality care reduce case fatality among inpatients who had a stroke? A retrospective study of 328 206 cases

Key Points

• The research aims to determine if bypassing nearby hospitals for high-quality care reduces case fatality in stroke patients.
• Analyzed 328,206 inpatient cases of stroke
• Compared outcomes between nearby and distant tertiary hospitals
• Assessed time to reach tertiary care (30 min for ischaemic, 60 min for haemorrhagic)
• Bypassing local hospitals was linked to lower case fatality rates for stroke patients
• Favourable outcomes were specifically noted for ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes based on travel time