Time is brain. Every minute of untreated ischemic stroke destroys approximately 1.9 million neurons. The difference between a door-to-CT time of 45 minutes and 20 minutes isn't administrative — it's neurological function the patient either keeps or loses permanently.
The AHA Target: Stroke guidelines set a door-to-CT benchmark of 25 minutes or less. Most high-performing stroke centers hit it consistently. The ones that do aren't smarter — they're more choreographed.
1.9M
Neurons lost per minute of untreated ischemic stroke