An Act relative to stroke system of care

This bill directs the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to create a statewide standard protocol for emergency medical services to assess, treat, and transport stroke patients to designated hospitals. The new rules must be based on national evidence-based guidelines and developed in consultation with an existing expert advisory group to ensure timely care for patients, including those with severe blockages. Additionally, the bill requires the department to establish recommended quality measures for stroke care that will be used by the state's health information center to track performance. These changes aim to standardize how stroke patients are handled by first responders and improve the consistency of care across the state.