In 2022, Pantai Hospital Ipoh began using MRI instead of CT scan to identify recent-onset stroke. The hospital modified its stroke protocol because CT scans take a longer time, leading to a longer door to needle time (DTN). Pantai Hospital Ipoh first began working on reducing stroke patients’ DTN from 90 minutes to 60 minutes in 2022, starting with pre-hospital care.

The team mapped out designated routes within the hospital in order to quickly move patients for the MRI scan and set aside dedicated laboratory services to provide the niche MRI service. The hospital also developed a special MRI sequencing protocol that was effective in identifying the problem and in reducing the time taken for the entire scan.

By June 2022, Pantai Hospital Ipoh had reduced DTN to 50 minutes and the rate of stroke patients who went on to enjoy neurological recovery leapt from 15% to 35%. This refinement in stroke diagnosis protocol established Pantai Hospital Ipoh as a centre of excellence for stroke in the region, a standing that was affirmed when the hospital was conferred a Platinum Award by the European Stroke Organisation in 2022.