title: Using telemedicine for acute stroke assessment.
abstract: In acute stroke care, urgent specialist assessment and treatment are essential to reduce the risk of death and disability. However, many patients do not receive them due to a lack of specialist services. One solution is to use telemedicine. This can give all patients with acute stroke symptoms access to immediate expert assessment and advice, regardless of when and where they present to hospital. This article describes a telemedicine system developed and implemented in Lancashire and Cumbria. In its first year of operation, 319 patients received a telestroke video assessment with a consultant stroke physician; 131 of these patients were given thrombolysis. We discuss how the service was designed, staff training and development, and the implications for nursing practice. The development of a standardised telemedicine toolkit that may facilitate future telemedicine projects is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Central Lancashire.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McAdam
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lightbody
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McLoughlin
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D006113:United Kingdom