Stroke care still lags among certain Medicare populations

As access to stroke imaging increases, so too does the likelihood that a patient can utilize lifesaving interventions, but experts are concerned about a multitude of disparities that inhibit populations from receiving such care. 

A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found significant increases over the last decade in the use of computed tomography angiography (CTA), computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and MRI for the Medicare ischemic stroke population in areas where access to neuroimaging was readily available. Patients in these areas were also more likely to undergo procedures such as endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) and intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), both of which positively impact mortality rates. 

However, healthcare disparities remain prevalent among certain demographic groups within the Medicare population, the experts found. Despite increases of 250% for CTA and 428% for CTP, researchers observed lower rates of neuroimaging utilization among rural residents, older individuals (80 years and above), women and Black patients.  

“Understanding recent trends and socioeconomic disparities in neuroimaging utilization among patients with ischemic stroke, and how imaging relates to clinical treatment decisions and outcomes, is critically important for clinicians and health care policymakers as we strive to ensure optimal and equitable access to high-quality stroke care across an increasingly diverse and aging population,” corresponding author Jason J. Wang, PhD, from the Department of Radiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, New York, and co-authors explained.