Statistics and first principles: supply and demand
The economic market area results of supply and demand can be applied to stroke and recovery facilities without too much difficulty. The supply side (strokes) control, eventually, the supply of therapy facilities. So here is how it might go in the recovery chain.
- Acute hospitals.
Well trained and experienced stroke team (neurologists, nurses, neuro, physiotherapists, and adequate dedicated stroke beds). The team has the responsibility of keeping the patient alive with the best available treatment, including arm therapy, and presenting a stable fit stroke patient to the next link in the recovery chain.
- Rehabilitation hospitals.
They must have adequate beds and therapy staff to cope with an uncertain supply of stroke patients. Adequate therapy exercise facilities must be available for the varying needs of the patients. As most patients are being prepared for home, occupational therapists should be available. Therapists play a dominant role in hospital activity. What with physios, managers and doctors, it can be a bit of a mess. Some severely affected patients go to nursing homes, the rest home. This is not the last link in the recovery chain.
- Private exercise gyms can fit in ex stroke people.
The peak of the stroke chain are private rehabs (non-residential) clinics. These are the places where neuro and exercise physios seek to join and stay to improve their expertise. One big benefit, to work with one physio at the gym and have home visits from the same physio is helpful. For the stroke recoveree, the home is the ultimate end of the recovery chain. Where independent living is tested. This article has not thrown up significant variations in supply or demand.
Angus