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URMC / Stroke Treatment Alliance of Rochester/New York (STAR-NY) / Why Stroke?

Why Stroke?

Stroke Facts

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  • Stroke is the 4th Leading cause of DEATH
  • Nearly 800,000 Americans will suffer this year alone and 30% of these individuals will be permanently disabled
  • Every 40 seconds one more person is added to the list of 6.4 Million Americans suffering from this leading cause of serious long term disability
  • The estimated cost of care for patients with stroke in 2010 was $73 billion and is expected to cross $2 Trillion by 2050

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Stroke in Our Community

Stroke has a devastating impact within our local community. Over the next 3 years it is estimated that there will be 3000 annual stroke admissions to Rochester area hospitals.

  • 1/3rd of these will be < 65 years of age
  • 15% of these patients will die of their Stroke
  • 20% of these patients will need help walking
  • >50% of these patients will not be able to return to work at all
  • >70% of these patients will not be able to return to their previous job
  • ONLY ABOUT 5% OF PATIENTS WILL BE TREATED WITH THE ONLY FDA APPROVED DRUG FOR STROKE
  • Monroe and surrounding counties will expend >$149 million for direct medical care and rehabilitation costs for stroke patients.

Numerous opportunities exist to decrease the physical, social and economic impact of this disease.

  • Although each of the 4 hospitals in the city of Rochester are designated primary stroke centers, stroke care in the community remains fragmented across disparate and competing health care systems and individual providers.
  • In a national survey nearly 43% of adults did not know a single risk factor for stroke contributing to delayed recognition of stroke symptoms
  • There remains uneven patient access to physicians with subspecialty expertise in stroke, especially during the first few critical hours after stroke onset.
  • There is a lack of standardized protocols for evaluation treatment and transfer of patients with stroke/TIA across institutions
  • There is an absence of a structured and unified mechanism for patient follow up and sharing of outcomes across institutions.

The Stroke Treatment Alliance of Rochester (STAR) a consortium of neurology/neurosurgery faculty from across the city of Rochester seeks to overcome institutional barriers in helping to promote timely, comprehensive and effective care to all patients with stroke in our community.