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

Why Stroke?

Stroke Facts

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

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.