Telemedicine Robot Helps Vista Improve Stroke Treatment
Stroke victims brought into the Emergency Department at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan are approximately 10 times more likely than the national average to be assessed quickly enough to receive critical medication to minimize the effects of stroke, according to a recent study.
Someone in the United States has a stroke every 45 seconds, making it the third leading cause of death and number one cause of serious, long-term disability. "Time equals brain" when it comes to a stroke, which means that every minute counts to save both a victim's life and as much brain function as possible.
Most strokes are caused by a blood clot in the brain, called an "ischemic" stroke, which is best treated by a clot-busting drug called tPA. This is the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ischemic stroke and can be highly effective, but it must be administered typically within 4.5 hours of the attack.
On average, hospitals nationwide administer tPA to 3.4 - 5.2 percent of ischemic stroke patients. However, a report released by Rush University Medical Center showed that 40 percent of ischemic stroke patients treated at Vista Medical Center East, an accredited Primary Stroke Center, were evaluated quickly enough to receive tPA within that critical time window.
Vista's success with tPA is due in large part to its membership in the Rush TeleStroke Network, which is affiliated with Rush University Medical Center. The TeleStroke Network provides Emergency Room physicians and nurses at Vista East with immediate access to a Rush neurologist at any time of the day or night via a new video robotic system.
"We are dedicated to improving the quality of stroke care, so we are very proud to see the outstanding results of our TeleStroke program in cooperation with Rush University Medical Center," said Barbara Martin, President & CEO of Vista Health System. "This study demonstrates the value of this program and our commitment to the highest quality of care for stroke patients."
The TeleStroke system uses a sophisticated telemedicine platform in the ER at Vista East that includes an HD video camera and a laptop computer with a secure Internet connection. Patients with symptoms of stroke can be connected almost immediately to a Rush neurologist who can see and speak directly with the patient, family members and medical staff.
The neurologist also has immediate access to patients' medical information, including CT scans, lab results and vital signs. The neurologist can observe and evaluate a patient's speech, level of consciousness and ability to move - much like being bedside with the patient - and make a decision about the course of treatment within minutes.
The Stroke Program at Vista Medical Center East recently received the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Vista East also is a Primary Stroke Center accredited by The Joint Commission. Vista also received the association's Target: Stroke Honor Roll for meeting stroke quality measures that reduce the time between hospital arrival and treatment with tPA.
Saving someone's life from a stroke is as simple as watching for telltale signs and thinking FAST - Facial droop, Arm weakness, Slurred speech, and Time to call 911.
Vista Health System is a network that includes: two hospitals in Waukegan - Vista Medical Center East and Vista Medical Center West; the Vista Lindenhurst campus that includes the Vista Ambulatory Care Center, Lindenhurst Surgery Center, LLC, the Vista Freestanding Emergency Center, and the new Vista Medical Office Building; and several locations for imaging, patient therapy and physician practices. Vista is a Center of Excellence in a number of key service areas and accredited in Bariatric Surgery, Cancer, Chest Pain, Congestive Heart Failure, Inpatient Diabetes, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Stroke. To learn more about Vista Health System, please visit VistaHealth.com.