In this episode, we welcome Dr. Christian Martin-Gill, MD, MPH, who is here to provide us with his perspective regarding the development of stroke systems of care in the suburban environment.  Doc is an ED physician with a deep background in a variety of EMS systems.  Specifically, Dr. Martin-Gill serves as Chief of the Division of EMS, the EMS Fellowship Director, and is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He has been a nationally registered paramedic for over 20 years and is also a certified Flight paramedic.   

Doc was a co-author of the 2021 Recommendations for Regional Stroke Destination Plans in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Communities from the Prehospital Stroke System of Care Consensus Conference, which is the focus of today’s episode.  This landmark consensus provides local and regional EMS agencies and stroke advisory committees with guiding principles and recommendations for how to integrate the elements of a stroke system of care in three key regional settings: urban, suburban, and rural settings.  The consensus seeks to inform or update EMS about new models and systems of acute ischemic stroke care, especially mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke, and how they affect their stroke systems of care. 

To maximize the power of the recommendations, the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association produced a very cool and very useful website full of resources and information directly related to helping EMS develop and or fortify their stroke systems of care.  I highly recommend you visit www.Stroke.org/stroketransportplans and use it to consider evolving the stroke system of care in your community.

Dr. Martin-Gill is here to help us appreciate what is at stake for stroke patients, as well as the nuances, advantages, and disadvantages of the suburban environment regarding EMS and stroke.  Finally, Doc provides his recommendations regarding how EMS systems should use the contents of the consensus and the stroke.org/stroketransportplans website resources to improve their Stroke Systems of Care and strengthen their stroke chain of survival.

Please keep emailing your questions, comments, feedback and episode ideas to the EMS on AIR Podcast team by email at [email protected].  Visit EMSonAIR.com for the latest information, podcast episodes and other details.  Follow us on Instagram @EMSOnAIR.

Recommended resources referenced in the episode:

• www.Stroke.org/stroketransportplans
• Recommendations for Regional Stroke Destination Plans in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Communities From the Prehospital Stroke System of Care Consensus Conference:  https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033228

Contact the episode participants:
Geoff Lassers, Paramedic I/C, AAS
Host, EMS on AIR Podcast
EMS System Manager, Oakland County Medical Control Authority (OCMCA)
FF/Paramedic, West Bloomfield Fire Department
Director of Education, American CME
[email protected]

Christian Martin-Gill, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Chief, Division of EMS
Program Director, EMS Fellowship
[email protected] 

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