Telestroke
A stroke is a medical emergency that demands immediate action.
If you or a loved one experience sudden loss of balance, blurred vision, difficulty speaking, facial drooping or weakness in an arm or leg, don't hesitate – call 911 immediately.
In partnership with TeleSpecialist Group, Crossing Rivers Health now provides Telestroke services. Tele-Neurology expands access to specialized stroke care across the region.
At Crossing Rivers Health, Telestroke allows you to get expert stroke care right in your local community, possibly without needing to go to a larger hospital. Your local provider works closely with a stroke specialist, called a vascular neurologist, through a secure video connection.
Telestroke uses a “hub-and-spoke” setup. The “hub” is where the stroke specialist is located, and the “spokes” are the local hospitals, like Crossing Rivers Health. When someone has stroke symptoms at a spoke site, the local team connects with the specialist at the hub for immediate help.
The team involved in making Telestroke work, includes stroke doctors, emergency room doctors, neurosurgeons, radiologists, nurses, IT staff, and more. Everyone plays a part in making sure stroke care happens fast and effectively.
If you come to the emergency room at Crossing Rivers Health with signs of a stroke, the emergency care provider will assess you immediately. If a stroke is suspected, they will activate the telestroke system. That means they call a hotline that connects them to a stroke specialist at Gundersen Health System (now becoming Emplify Health). Stroke specialists are available 24/7.
You’ll quickly get a CT scan to look at your brain. The stroke specialist will then talk with you and your provider through a live video chat, review your scan, and help figure out the best treatment. They send their recommendations back to the local team right away.
Fast evaluation is important because stroke treatments work best when given quickly, ideally within three hours of when symptoms started, and sometimes up to four and a half hours. The stroke specialist may also suggest other treatments, depending on your specific situation.
Expertise and Experience
Providers at Crossing Rivers Health work with TeleSpecialist Group neurologists who have expertise and experience in evaluating and treating people who have had a stroke or have other brain and blood vessel conditions, also called cerebrovascular conditions.
Team Approach
At Crossing Rivers Health, your local team of providers, nurses, and medical imaging staff collaborates closely with a dedicated team of telestroke neurologists.
Individualized Care
Crossing Rivers Health telestroke staff give you individualized care and serve you in your community.
Technology
Providers at Crossing Rivers Health work with TeleSpecialist Group neurologists using advanced technologies in telestroke.