Introduction

    The Stroke Center was established in 2002, focusing on developing thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) at the initial stage, and is now a pioneer in acute reperfusion treatment in central Taiwan. In 2011, the Stroke Center began endovascular thrombectomy (EVT)for patients with AIS. We successfully performed the first EVT in Taiwan the same year, bringing an unconscious patient with a brainstem infarction back to normal life. The Stroke Center makes efforts to integrate different departments, including the Neurology, Radiology, Anesthesia, and Emergency Departments, to form a comprehensive stroke team. In addition, since November 2019, emergent EVT has been routinely provided to satisfy the need for increasing inter-hospital transferals for acute stroke patients.

Outstanding Achievements
    In the acute ischemic stroke patients of our hospital, a high proportion of 20% of them received acute reperfusion therapy. In 2020, to strengthen regional cooperation, the Stroke Center established the "Network of Emergent Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in Central Taiwan", replacing competition with collaboration and cooperation between stroke centers in central Taiwan. This network provides more efficient treatment for AIS patients. In December 2020, we were further qualified upon receiving the "Stroke Care Certification" from The Joint Commission of Taiwan (JCT). In March 2021, to overcome the shortage of medical resources in rural areas, we initiated a telestroke program using private 5G enterprise network architecture to provide real-time video assessment. The telestroke program successfully avoid delays in stroke management. We, members of the Stroke Center, are advocates who work diligently to improve the quality of stroke treatment and outcomes in patients with AIS.