Health care providers' perceptions of factors that influence the provision of acute stroke care in urban and rural settings: A qualitative study.

Objectives: Individuals living in rural areas have comparatively less access to acute stroke care than their urban counterparts. Understanding the local barriers and facilitators to the use of current best practice for acute stroke may inform efforts to reduce this disparity.

Methods: A qualitative study featuring semi-structured interviews and focus groups was conducted in the Australian state of Tasmania.