CLARION – Clarion Hospital has begun offering the services of real time, audiovisual consultation with a stroke neurologist from Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Neuroscience Institute in treating patients with stroke symptoms.
Through a United States Department of Agriculture funded matching grant, Clarion Hospital acquired telemedicine video conferencing carts, which physicians to connect directly with AHN neurologists to assist in evaluating patients in Clarion Hospital.
“Our staff has been collaborating with Allegheny Health Network to put protocols in place to insure rapid evaluation, intervention and quality stroke care for patients in our community,” Leslie Walters, Clarion Hospital’s chief nursing officer, said in a Clarion Hospital news release.
“This intervention may now include a video conference with a consulting neurologist from Allegheny Health Network, a service available 24/7.”
According to the release, the AHN neurologist logs into the telestroke system and can interact with the patient, their family and the Clarion Hospital physician. The neurologist discusses the assessment findings and the treatment options with the family during the video consultation.
“This is another way we are utilizing technology to enhance access to critical health care services close to home in Clarion and the surrounding communities,” Clarion Hospital CEO Steven Davis said in the release. “This is also a key step toward our pursuit of becoming a certified, Primary Stroke Center. “There are over 200 strokes per year in our service area, and we see our role as educating the public to recognize early signs and symptoms and to know they can receive timely, definitive and life/brain saving care close to home.”