TeleStroke Remote Presence System Immediately Connects Doctor to Patient
Tuesday, January 31 2012
Ronnie Lingerfelt, 63, lives alone at his home in Mulberry. On an early morning in January, he woke, unable to speak or use his right arm. After calling 911, he was rushed to Lakeland Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department, where he was immediately seen by a neurologist – via TeleStroke. At this point, it was determined that he was having a stroke.
TeleStroke, by InTouch Health, is an audio-visual communication device that allows a physician to perform critical, immediate assessments of stroke victims through remote access. TeleStroke gives neurologists the ability to physically assess patients without physically being in the hospital, so that the next level of treatment, like clot-busting medication tPA, can be immediately administered. Treatment within the first three hours of stroke onset is vital, so patients benefit from the efficiency offered by TeleStroke.
“TeleStroke allows the physician to be at Lakeland Regional 24/7 and always offer the patient immediate care,” Dr. Duane Campbell, Stroke Program Director said. “Especially with stroke victims, the faster we can give them care, the more complete their recovery.”
Dr. Campbell, the on-call neurologist when Lingerfelt arrived in the ER at approximately 2 a.m., used TeleStroke to assess Lingerfelt’s condition. He asked him to raise both arms, smile, and state his name. When a potential stroke patient arrives at LRMC, a neurologist always asks these questions, but the only difference was that Dr. Campbell was on a screen.
“When Dr. Campbell came on the screen, I thought, ‘these people know what they’re doing,’” Lingerfelt said. “I was talking to the doctor within a minute and didn’t have to wait; I was talking to him in real time.”
By evaluating the patient through TeleStroke, Dr. Campbell was able to quickly prescribe Alteplase, a clot-busting medication, before arriving at the hospital to continue care. Lingerfelt felt better almost immediately and regained his ability to speak within a few hours after being administered the medication.
“I am living proof that TeleStroke works,” Lingerfelt said. “I love Dr. Campbell; he saved my life.”
Lakeland Regional’s Stroke Center is the only stroke program in the area with advanced technology to treat strokes beyond three hours. It was the first to use interventional devices such as carotid stenting and clot removal devices for acute stroke. Now, with TeleStroke, LRMC is able to further its mission of providing patients exceptional healthcare.
For more information on LRMC’s stroke program, visit www.lrmc.com.