> "If called promptly, then there shouldn't be many patients that we can't get to the right care within a suitable timeframe." I worked with stroke centers, do

> "If called promptly, then there shouldn't be many patients that we can't get to the right care within a suitable timeframe." I worked with stroke centers, doctors, etc in building stroke access systems, and that doesn't fly with reality. Number 1, is that its hard for patients to recognize they are having a stroke. so "If called promptly" is a bit of unrealistic idealism. Although they say 4 hours, tPA administered after 1 hour has lost most of its benefit, and places that can do thrombectomy 24/7 (in US dedicated stroke centers) is not numerous. You are losing a lot of that hour just for time for the helicopter to warm up, find a spot, and land + your ambulance time getting to /stabilizing the patient. I'm sure the patients on your beat had suitable access, but that's a bit of selectivity bias no? In the US, although the majority of the population is within the golden hour, there are still a ton of population that does not have access to a stroke center. I find it extremely hard to believe that this is not the case in Australia - where I have heard stories of people getting a finger cut off and having to drive 3 hours to the nearest hospital.