Saiedeh Bahrampouri - Department of Health in Emergency and Disaster Research, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Hamid Reza Khankeh - Department of Nursing, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Asghar Dalvandi - Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen, Solna, Sweden.

Background: Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the world and these complications can be decreased by competent emergency care. Emergency medical service (EMS) transfer half of the stroke patients to hospitals. This study aimed to determine diagnosis of status and transfer time of stroke patients by EMS to a main hospital (Valiasr) in Arak City. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive analytic study and conducted on ۴۳ patients with a diagnosis of stroke that transferred by EMS to Valiasr Hospital in Arak City. Data were collected through a checklist which contained information about age, sex, type of accident, response time, scene time, transfer time, and total time from inpatients records and Emergency Center statistics. Regarding data analysis, descriptive statistical tests were performed by SPSS ۱۹. Results: The mean(SD) age of patients was ۷۳.۷(۳.۸) years and ۵۱.۲% of them were women. The stroke diagnosis by EMS technicians was correct in ۱۵(۳۴.۹%) cases. In ۲۰(۴۶.۵%) cases, the diagnosis was wrong and in ۸(۱۸.۶%) cases, there were not any diagnosis. The most common non-stroke condition was confusion. The mean response time and arrival time to location, transfer time, and total time were ۶.۹, ۱۶.۹, ۹.۱, and ۳۵.۳ minutes, respectively. In patients with correct diagnosis and wrong or no diagnosis, these mean times were ۷, ۱۷.۱, ۳.۹,  and ۳۵.۷ minutes and ۶.۹, ۱۶.۸, ۹.۷, and ۳۳.۵ minutes, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that an accurate diagnosis by EMS technicians could be an indicator for faster transfer of the patient to treatment center. It is recommended that more appropriate pre-hospital diagnosis tools of stroke be developed and handed to EMS staff, for more accurate diagnosis of strokes and their better treatment.

Diagnosis of status, Transfer time, Stroke patient, Prehospital emergency