Drive-the-doctor paradigm in acute ischaemic stroke for improving regional stroke care networks: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objective

In a drive-the-doctor (DD) paradigm, an interventionalist travels from a comprehensive stroke centre (CSC) to primary stroke centres (PSCs) to perform endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischaemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). The DD paradigm may reduce time delays from onset to recanalisation. This study aimed to analyse the cost-effectiveness of the DD paradigm versus a drip-and-ship (DS) paradigm, where LVO patients are transferred from PSCs to a CSC for EVT in the northern Netherlands.

Design

Economic evaluation was performed using a simulation model combined with a decision tree and a Markov model.

Setting

Stroke centres in the northern Netherlands.

Participants

A hypothetical cohort of 100 000 LVO patients with

SUBMITTER: Nguyen CP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11956349 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature