Monitor stroke victims longer

According to Ingrid van de Port, right now too many stroke victims fall between the cracks.

Although people who have had strokes have to deal with lifelong consequences, the care they receive is not optimal. It does not ensure they will be able to function as well as they can as members of society or to maintain their quality of life. Care should be continued for a longer period of time and it would be advisable to monitor patients at a later stage. If patients are monitored and supported by a professional, it will be possible to identify problems earlier on and take action more quickly. This will guarantee continuity of care following a stroke, something that is essential for a chronic condition.

Ingrid van de Port received her PhD from Utrecht University on December 14. The title of her thesis is, “Predicting outcome in patients with chronic stroke: findings of a 3-year follow-up study.”