ABSTRACT
One of the first steps in organizing a stroke center is to determine the level of care that can be provided, as discussed in Chapter 1. Once that decision is made then a logical next step is to find out the capabilities of other hospitals in the region and determine where your center fits in the spectrum of services available in these hospitals. The most likely pattern is that there will be one or more comprehensive stroke centers in the large urban center, surrounded by hospitals capable of primary stroke care, surrounded by hospitals that will be bypassed or will quickly transfer all acute stroke victims.
