Seconds count when a person has a stroke. However, many people live in an area that does not have stroke specialists. Kimberly Stewart works for Baptists Hospitals. The hospital is using breakthrough technology in order to treat patients who have suffered a stroke.
Nurses and doctors use technology called Tele-Stroke. It is a lot like Face-Time. It allows patients to videochat with neurologists. Kimberly stated that there are 5 out of 10 baptist hospitals that have this technology. She also stated that this technology is saving the lives of people who live in Memphis. It allows people who live in rural and suburban areas to have access to specialists such as neurologists.
Tele-stroke allows people to get the care that they need in just 12 minutes. Kristin Leign is a news reporter works for Fox13. She has demonstrated how the Telestroke technology works. She played the role of a stroke patient. She pretended that she forgot to take her medication and had a stroke.
She talked to Dr. Leonard DaSaliva via webcam. He asked her a lot of questions about her symptoms. He was able to direct the nurses and tell them what medication to give Kristin. Patients lose two million brain cells every four minutes during a stroke. That is why it is important for patients to get immediate care when they start to experience symptoms.
Heather Greenland is an advanced nurse clinician who works at Baptist. She stated that the telestroke technology allows people to have a team of healthcare workers who can help them. They will be able to get the quickest care possible. One patient may have eight people helping them while they are having a stroke.
Baptist is hoping that every hospital in the mid-south area will have a Telestroke technology within the next few years.
Dil Bole Oberoi
