Prehospital Care of the Neurologically Injured Patient

The neurologically injured patient presents several unique challenges to the clinician. Of importance is a full understanding of the role of early intervention and the impact of every stage of clinical care – from the prehospital environment to the intensive care unit. As Emergency Medical Systems grow in sophistication, so does the ability to intervene with time sensitive measures that will improve outcomes. This chapter provides an overview of prehospital care systems development and early interventions (both in the prehospital and emergency department environments) that impact the outcomes of neurologically injured patient.