Geospatial Mapping of Alberta Province

BACKGROUND:Treatment for stroke is time sensitive and there is an incentive to minimize delays; however, Canada’s vast geography creates challenges for ensuring prompt transport to hospital. We sought to determine the proportion of people across Alberta for whom hyperacute stroke services are accessible within evidence-based time targets.METHODS:We calculated “drive time polygons” on a map of Alberta that delineated the area around stroke centers (SC) and EMS stations to which one can drive in 3.5 to 6 hours. We calculated the area of each forward sorting postal code zones (FSA) contained within a drive-time polygon. We applied the ratio to the 2011 Canadian Census population of the FSA to estimate the population that can reach a SC in the designated time. To calculate drive-time polygons for EMS, we included time to the patient and from the patient to the hospital. For private vehicle transport, we considered only the time from the patient to the SC.RESULTS:As per 2011 census, the population of Alberta was 3,645,081. A high percentage of the Albertans lived within 3.5 hours (89[percnt]), 4.5 hours (92[percnt]) and 6 hours (93[percnt]) drive from a stroke center via EMS. Slightly higher result were found for the percentage of Albertans that lived within 3.5 hours (94[percnt]), 4.5 hours (98[percnt]) and 6 hours (99[percnt]) of a SC via private vehicle. These represent the maximum population who may benefit from time-sensitive therapies given the distribution of current SC.CONCLUSION:We report on the province of Alberta as a sample of the Canadian population’s access to SC. The majority of Albertans live within six hours by road access to a SC. Despite the large land area, this reflects the increasingly urban nature of the population distribution. Geospatial mapping could be used to identify gaps in service accessibility and system planning. Disclosure: Dr. Eswaradass has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hill has received personal compensation for activities with Boehringer Ingelheim Canada and Pfizer, Inc. Canada as advisory board member. Dr. Swartz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rosen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lindsay has nothing to disclose.