Cool Stuff Ahead!
Our Neurosciences and Stroke team worked with our telehealth program, bought a souped-up ambulance, installed a portable (PORTABLE!) CT scanner, and now we can send this ambulance out on any 911 call that sounds like it may be an early stroke.
Unlike current state-of-the-art facilities that take 30-60 minutes AFTER the patient arrives in the Emergency Department to diagnose a stroke, rule-out a bleed, and administer tPA, the clot-busting drug (so called “door-to-needle time”), we now have NEGATIVE door-to-needle times.
In other words, we’re driving to the patient, performing the CT scan IN THEIR DRIVEWAY at home, transmitting images to our neuro-radiologist, using a 2 way video link between neurologist and patient, finalizing a diagnosis, and administering life-saving tPA right there in the driveway. BOOM. “Needle” time occurs before “door” time. Watch the video link above for details. So proud of our teams and the technology we develop to support outstanding patient care.
