Ensuring emergency medicine performance standards for stroke and transient ischemic attack care

This article reviews emergency medicine evaluation and management performance standards for cerebrovascular event patients and provides a practical process for ensuring high quality care. Areas of practice that most frequently generate questions and controversy are highlighted. The term "cerebrovascular event" is used throughout the text when both stroke and transient ischemic attack apply to the discussion. Recommendations are based on literature review and the author's experience with the successful certification of multiple primary stroke centers and appointments in neurology, emergency medicine, and nursing specialties.