Moyer, Quentin

Background and Purpose Informed consent (IC) practices for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute stroke are not well elucidated. We investigated the roles and specialties of those obtaining EVT IC, aiming to provide insights for enhancing the process. Methods We conducted a survey from July- December 2023 among acute stroke care clinicians. Utilizing Qualtrics, we disseminated a questionnaire through various national and international online platforms. This analysis summarizes the characteristics of individuals who obtain IC at respondents’ institution. Results Among 168 respondents, 71% were staff physicians, 70% practiced in the US and 70% worked at academic centers. Neurology (77%) was the most common specialty obtaining EVT IC, followed by neurosurgery (41%), radiology (30%) and emergency medicine (EM) (10%). Staff physicians were the most frequently involved (61%), followed by fellows (43%), residents (48%) and advanced practice providers (APPs) (36%). Comparatvely, non-US institutions were more likely to utilize neurologists alone (50% vs 31%, P = 0.016) and staff physicians (76% vs 54%, P = 0.008), while US institutions more often utilized neurosurgeons (51% vs 18%, P < 0.001), APPs (43% vs 18%, P = 0.002) and residents (56% vs 28%, P = 0.001). Non-academic institutions used EM (25% vs 5%, P < 0.001) and APPs (50% vs 31%, P = 0.031), while academic institutions commonly utilized neurosurgeons (48% vs 18%, P = 0.001), residents (59% vs 13%, P < 0.001) and fellows (52% vs 18%, P < 0.001). Conclusion Neurologists and staff physicians are the primary providers obtaining EVT IC, with variations based on region and institution type. Future efforts to optimize the IC process should integrate various specialties and be widely adaptable.

Introduction: Informed consent (IC) plays a central role in medical care and research. Practices for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute stroke are not well elucidated. We investigated the clinical roles and medical specialties of individuals who obtain IC for EVT, aiming to provide insights for enhancing the process in contemporary stroke care. Methods: We conducted a survey from July to December 2023 among clinicians involved in acute stroke care. Utilizing Qualtrics, we disseminated a structured questionnaire through various national and international platforms including the American Academy of Neurology and StrokeNet. This analysis summarizes findings pertaining to the characteristics of those who obtain EVT IC at the respondents’ institution. Results: Among 168 participants, 71% were staff physicians, 70% practiced in the United States (US), and 70% were based at academic centers. The most common medical specialties obtaining EVT IC were neurology (77%), followed by neurosurgery (41%), radiology (30%) and emergency medicine (10%) ( Table 1 ). Staff physician (61%) was the most common clinical role involved, followed by fellows (43%), residents (48%), and advanced practice providers (APP, 36%) ( Table 2 ). Non-US institutions were more likely to utilize a provider from neurology alone (50% vs. 31%, p=0.016) and staff physicians (76% vs. 54%, p=0.008), while US institutions were more likely to utilize providers from neurosurgery (51% vs. 18%, p<0.001), APPs (43 vs. 18%, p=0.002) and residents (56% vs. 28%, p=0.001). Non-academic institutions more frequently used emergency medicine providers (25% vs. 5%, p<0.001) and APPs (50% vs. 31%, p=0.031), while academic institutions commonly utilized neurosurgery providers (48% vs. 18%, p=0.001), residents (59% vs. 13%, p<0.001) and fellows (52% vs. 18%, p<0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights the diverse medical specialties and clinical roles of persons obtaining IC for EVT, with neurologists and staff physicians being the most frequently utilized. These variations likely reflect availability and capacity of certain providers in different settings. Future efforts to optimize the IC process should be multi-disciplinary, with standardized content that addresses issues such as ischemic core volume, outcome expectations and diversity.