In NSW alone, almost 19,000 people a year have a stroke, which kills up to 1.9 million brain cells every minute, making treatment time-critical. A disproportionate number of strokes occur in regional areas, which have fewer specialist physicians. Rural and regional-based patients often need to be transferred to city hospitals, which delays their treatment for hours and lessens their chance of a good recovery.
The Telestroke model of care in NSW is bridging distances and delivering a world-class stroke assessment, treatment and management of patients, regardless of their location. Enabled by the Health Wide Area Network and using screen-sharing technology, Telestroke gives remote specialists full access to patient imaging as it is being processed. This enables time-critical diagnosis and immediate treatment for rural and regional-based Australians, who are 19 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke than their city counterparts.
Telestroke has been successfully trialled on the Mid North Coast and will be rolled out state-wide over the next three years. Lives are being saved and outcomes vastly improved thanks to the Telestroke model of care. Furthermore, it has reduced the need for patients to be transferred long distances and makes more efficient use of specialists’ time.
Learn more about Telestroke.