COVID-19 Impact as an Illustration of Big Data Monitoring of Clinical Practice

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted stroke care globally via multiple mechanisms. There have been reports of COVID-19 causing stroke,1,2 which fortunately appears to be a relatively rare phenomenon. However, the system of care for patients with diseases other than COVID-19 has been disrupted, and patients with stroke are among those affected.3 Emergency departments have had to introduce additional screening procedures at triage which can delay initial diagnostic imaging. Stroke units have at times been moved or fragmented to accommodate the surge in COVID-19 or suspected patients with COVID-19, threatening the basic provision of stroke unit care.4