From call to diagnosis: improving stroke triage in the medical dispatch unitPetričević, Stjepan (Avtor) Pelaić, Igor (Avtor) Veljković, Božidar (Avtor) možganska kapnujna medicinska pomočrazvrščanje pacientovretrospektivne študijedispečerske službeizobraževanjemedicinasprejemanje odločitevIntroduction. This study aimed to assess current stroke triage practices in the Medical Dispatch Unit (MPDJ) using the Croatian Emergency Call Reception Index, in order to identify areas for improvement in dispatcher training and caller awareness. Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the e-Hitna system of the Zagreb County Emergency Medical Institute for the year 2023. Triage categories “Headache” (A.18) and “Altered consciousness/paralysis” (A.25) were analyzed in relation to confirmed stroke diagnoses based on ICD-10 codes (G45–G45.9, I60–I69.9). Statistical analysis included chi-square and Welch’s t-test. Results. A statistically significant association was found between the triage category “Altered consciousness/ paralysis” and confirmed stroke diagnosis (χ² = 11.82; p < 0.001). Many stroke patients were initially categorized under non-specific symptoms. No significant sex difference was observed in triage allocation (p = 0.9508), while women were significantly older than men (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Findings highlight the need for enhanced dispatcher education and public awareness on stroke symptoms. Improvements in stroke recognition protocols and follow-up with clinical outcomes are recommended to ensure more accurate and timely prehospital triage.20252026-04-15 11:20:06Neznano13666sl