Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted stroke care systems across the U.S. Understanding regional differences, hospital-level variations in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) admissions Figure 2). By 2021, admission patterns normalized to pre-pandemic levels, with peaks in March, June, Figure 2). Conclusions: The pandemic amplified regional and institutional disparities in AIS care. Admissions shifted increasingly to urban teaching hospitals, highlighting reliance on high-capacity stroke centers. Although AIS incidence in the South declined slightly, it remained the highest nationally, reflecting ongoing disparities in the U.S. “Stroke Belt.” These findings underscore the need to strengthen stroke care infrastructure and ensure service continuity during public health crises.
Jafarli et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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