When a suspected stroke patient arrives at Fayette County Memorial Hospital’s (FCMH) emergency department, a “stroke alert” is activated at both Ohio State and FCMH. This mobilizes a team of stroke experts who, through the use of real-time testing and a telestroke machine along with a patient interview, can help the care team at FCMH determine the best treatment option for the patient.

As a tertiary care center and Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, Ohio State serves as the hub of the Telestroke Collaborative, providing patients immediate access to board-certified vascular neurologists who can provide real-time consultation to physicians at community hospitals using video equipment and proven stroke protocols. This additional evaluation and support can be lifesaving when time is critical. Should the patient require an advanced level of care, a transfer to Ohio State’s Neurovascular Stroke Center is arranged.

The window of time for successfully treating stroke victims is short, usually less than three hours. Doctors feel the use of real-time technology will save more lives in rural areas of the state.

With rapid access to board-certified vascular neurologists who can provide real-time consultation to physicians at the proximity hospitals using video equipment, CT scans and the web-based software. Ohio State’s stroke team, which includes board-certified vascular neurologists, board-certified neurocritical care physicians and dual-trained endovascular neurosurgeons are available any time, day or night.

Fayette County Memorial Hospital is a critical access hospital (25-bed hospital) with over 30 healthcare providers, complete with a full spectrum of healthcare services.

This article was submitted by Fayette County Memorial Hospital.