Telestroke May be the Only Way Patients Can Access Stroke Care
A study shows that telestroke programs can help get patients tPA in as little as 40 minutes.
Strokes are one of the most pervasive medical emergencies in America, and the numbers are staggering. In the United States, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds and takes a life every 4 minutes. With this prevalence, most people might imagine that finding treatment for stroke victims is as easy as going to the nearest hospital. However, in many cases, there are limited options for patients.
According to a study in the journal Neurology, there is a shortage in the number of available neurologists, which results in dangerous and brain-threatening wait times for patients. The study also concludes that difficulty hiring new neurologists, and the large number of neurologists that do not accept new Medicaid patients, are among the top reasons for the provider shortage.
Telestroke has a proven track record of assisting Medicaid patients as well as other patients, with the expedited stroke care they need. An American Heart Association (AHA) study found that when using telestroke the average time between patient arrival at a hospital to administering tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) fell from 80 minutes to 40 minutes. Also, the average time between the initial onset of a stroke and receiving tPA fell from 150 minutes to 120 minutes when telestroke was available and utilized.
Today, one in 20 deaths in the United States are the result of a stroke. Providing fast, efficient care dramatically improves stroke survival rates. Hospitals with telestroke programs can not only outpace the neurologist shortage but also provide better care while treating more patients.
Avizia was acquired by Amwell in July of 2018. Information on this page refers to activities that occurred prior to the acquisition and are presented for historical context. Together we provide a comprehensive acute care offering—a full end-to-end telemedicine solution for health systems and their providers.