Background and Purpose—Compare access and outcomes in a tertiary care community hospital (Saint Luke’s Neuroscience Institute) and its stroke network to hospitals in 3 national databases.Methods—Retrospective analysis of ischemic stroke patients (2005, 2007, 2010) in Saint Luke’s (n=1576), Get With The Guidelines-Stroke (n=423 809), Premier (n=91 598), and Merci Registry (n=966). Study measures were use of computed tomography scans and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, discharge disposition, discharge National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores, and 90-day modified Rankin Scores.Results—
Saint Luke’s increased access to care with higher tPA use than other hospitals (17.2% received intravenous tPA therapy compared with 5.8% at Get With The Guidelines–Stroke hospitals,
P
<0.001; 22.1% of Saint Luke’s patients received tPA by any route compared with 3.5% of Premier patients,
P
<0.001). Use of intravenous tPA within 4.5 hours of onset was associated with more discharges to home (odds ratio, 2.123; 95% confidence interval, 1.394–3.246) and improved National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores (
P
=0.001). Saint Luke’s patients also were more likely than those in other hospitals to receive computed tomography scans (99.4% vs 58.6% at Premier hospitals). Embolectomy at Saint Luke’s was associated with better outcomes than peer hospitals, and treatment at Saint Luke’s was independently associated with more discharges to home (odds ratio, 3.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.84–8.32). In 2010, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages after tPA therapy was similar for Saint Luke’s patients and Premier patients (2.2% vs 1.5%;
P
=0.590).
Conclusions—Regionally coordinated stroke programs can substantially improve access and patient outcomes.