Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Stroke inequities reflect differences in exposure to vascular risks and access to timely diagnosis, treatment, and recovery services. A sustainable plan addresses these barriers without treating race or ethnicity as a biological explanation for unequal care.

• Emergency access: Use interpreters, accessible symptom education, and consistent stroke activation criteria. Regional transfer pathways and telestroke can expand specialist access in rural and lower-resource settings.
• Communication and recovery: Adapt education for aphasia, cognitive or visual impairment, and preferred language. Include care partners with the patient’s consent; use teach-back and accessible print or audio options.
• Continuity: Coordinate medication coverage, transportation, therapy access, and follow-up before discharge. Offer telehealth when useful while retaining options for patients without reliable technology.
• System improvement: Use existing quality data to identify differences in treatment times, reperfusion, rehabilitation referrals, and follow-up by language, insurance, race/ethnicity, and geography.