New technology allows for quicker, improved care of patients suffering from stroke
Sheboygan – When someone is having a stroke, every minute that passes until they receive the appropriate medical care can mean the difference between life and death. HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital now offers new, state-of-the-art technology that allows for faster, improved care of stroke patients. It’s called, Telestroke.
Telestroke is telemedicine technology that connects stroke patients and emergency department physicians with highly-skilled stroke experts with the click of a button. When a patient with stroke symptoms arrives at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital’s emergency department, they receive immediate, hands-on care and assessment from the highly-skilled doctors and nurses on staff. Then, Telestroke technology – which includes a camera and microphone for live, two-way audio and video – is used to contact a neurologist, or physician who specializes in stroke care.
“There are a very limited number of neurologists in Sheboygan available to provide immediate care to stroke patients 24-hours a day,” said Dr. Thomas Zweifel, a Prevea Health neurologist who cares for stroke patients at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital. “This advanced technology is allowing experts to see patients at the bedside from many miles away and much faster, without losing the precious time it takes to transport the patient or wait for a specialist, like myself, to arrive at the hospital.”
Telestroke allows a neurologist who may be hundreds of miles away to be at the patient’s bedside. The technology allows them to speak with the patient and thoroughly examine them. In addition, the stroke physician can zoom in and out on the patient with Telestroke’s camera to further assess the patient’s ability to move and speak, as well as assess their pupil reactivity. Once the neurologist has examined the patient, they can then consult with the on-staff emergency department physician at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital about the best course of treatment for the patient.
During a stroke, an estimated two million brain cells die per minute, meaning that time lost is brain lost. Evidence shows that a stroke patient’s outcomes and recovery are far better the quicker you can evaluate and treat a stroke. Thanks toTelestroke and the communication it allows between stroke experts, stroke patients and emergency department physicians – HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital can more quickly treat stroke patients and reduce or eliminate long-term stroke impacts on their patients.
In addition, HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission – the nation’s oldest and largest accrediting body in health care that evaluates more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Primary Stroke Center certifications are awarded to a hospital after The Joint Commission conducts a rigorous, on-site evaluation to ensure the hospital is providing safe, high-quality care to stroke patients and is continuously looking for ways to improve its stroke program for the future.
Facts from National Stroke Association
- 795,000 people have strokes in the U.S. each year
- 610,000 of those who have strokes in the U.S. each year are experiencing them for the first time
- 129,000 people died from stroke in 2013
- Stroke is a medical emergency. Identify stroke symptoms by acting FAST:
o Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
o Arms – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
o Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred?
o Time – If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
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About HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital
HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital is a non-profit hospital sponsored by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis located at 3100 Superior Avenue, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Our mission and vision is to provide family-centered, compassionate care without regard for race, creed, or ability to pay. This is achieved through our core values of respect, care, competence, and joy. To learn more, visit www.stnicholashospital.org
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality, Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our 13 Local Systems and physician practices in Illinois (Belleville, Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Highland, Litchfield, and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.
