The HealthEast Telestroke program provides real-time subspecialty stroke expertise at the bedside for patients presenting with stroke-like symptoms in your hospital's emergency department.

This expertise-on-demand can help small- to medium-sized hospitals rapidly evaluate and treat acute ischemic stroke patients and triage and stabilize hemorrhagic stroke patients.

For some hospitals, the Telestroke program augments existing hospital-based neurologic coverage to help provide 24/7 coverage all year long. For other hospitals, it is the only neurologic expertise consistently available.

With acute stroke expertise available "virtually" at the bedside, hospitals no longer need to immediately transfer possible stroke patients elsewhere for evaluation saving precious time before the administration of tPA or other critical therapy.

Specialists from the HealthEast Telestroke program use video conferencing technology to remotely examine the patient, confirm the diagnosis, interpret the brain images and provide recommendations to hospital staff physicians just as if they were at the bedside. With this on-demand consultation, emergency room staff can quickly develop care plans and take action if necessary before a critical treatment time window passes.

Medical directors

• Sandra Hanson, MD
• Michael Madison, MD

Telestroke in action