Governor Signs Antonio’s Stroke Legislation

Last week, Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 21 into law; legislation I introduced in an effort to save precious minutes to possibly improve the lives of stroke patients and reduce the effects of stroke with regard to disability and possible death. This legislation requires the State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services to develop statewide guidelines for the assessment, triage, and transport to hospitals of stroke patients in partnership with Ohio’s health leaders.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke[1]. The right treatment can mean the difference between life and death as stroke is the fifth leading cause of death, and a leading cause of disability in Ohio.[2]

This issue is personal as we lost my mother to complications from stroke 21 years ago. At the time, we first called EMS when my mother was in some kind of distress, however, I had to insist that EMS transport her to the hospital, even as she was rejecting care. She kept saying “No, no, no” and referring to herself as “it”- as in “it doesn’t want to do this.” As a loved one who knew her very well, it was clear to me that something was not right, and subsequently, when she got to the hospital, she had a massive stroke. Regrettably, she ultimately died from those complications a few weeks later. I firmly believe that if this legislation would have been in place, my mother’s outcome might have been different. We will never know.

However, what we do know is that proper and immediate stroke care in those first moments, when every second counts, is essential. In enacting SB 21, we hope lives will be saved throughout the state.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Stroke Facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/fact...

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/press...