Dr. Emmerson joined national vascular neurology experts for a clinical discussion on stroke prevalence, risk factors, disability burden, and the economic impact of ischemic stroke.
Stroke care sits at the intersection of clinical urgency, long-term disability, and major health system cost. In a recent American Journal of Managed Care Peer Exchange episode, Access TeleCare neurologist Dr. Danison Emmerson joined a panel of national experts to examine the scale of that burden and the factors shaping ischemic stroke care today.
The episode, “The Societal Impact of Stroke: Prevalence, Pathophysiology, and Economic Burden,” is part of AJMC’s Peer Exchange series, Advancing Ischemic Stroke Care: Foundations, Current Therapies, and the Emerging Role of Factor XIa Inhibition.
Dr. Emmerson appeared alongside Dr. David Rose, co-founder and chief education officer at CAST, and Dr. Andrew Russman, head of the stroke program and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at the Cleveland Clinic, in a discussion covering the prevalence of different stroke types, the underlying mechanisms that contribute to ischemic stroke, major modifiable risk factors, and the clinical and financial consequences for patients, caregivers, hospitals, and the broader healthcare system.
The panel noted that large artery and cardioembolic strokes each account for approximately 25 percent to 35 percent of acute ischemic events. The experts also discussed common modifiable risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking, with hypertension identified as a leading driver of disease.
The conversation also addressed the economic and functional toll of stroke. According to the panel, direct and indirect stroke-related costs exceed $70 billion annually in the United States. Stroke also remains a leading cause of long-term disability and admission to inpatient rehabilitation facilities, creating lasting effects for patients, families, and care teams.
Dr. Emmerson’s participation reflects Access TeleCare’s continued role in national conversations about neurologic care delivery and stroke expertise. Through teleNeurology programs, Access TeleCare supports hospitals and health systems with timely access to neurologists, helping care teams evaluate and manage patients when specialty coverage is limited or unavailable onsite.
