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Stroke telemedicine, or telestroke, is the use of high-quality video conferencing between a doctor and patient who are at different locations. This state-of-the-art program allows patients who arrive at the emergency department with stroke symptoms to be assessed by Washington County Hospital’s emergency physicians and nurses but also by a stroke specialist, a vascular neurologist who specializes in stroke care, at another location through the use of telestroke. Through the use of high-definition web cams and televisions that can attach to any bed in Washington County Hospital’s emergency department or critical care unit, a vascular neurologist at UPMC can see and converse with the patient, the patient’s family, and the emergency physician—all in real time and full color. The technology also allows the neurologist to read brain scans immediately to help determine the best course of treatment for the patient. Although Washington County Hospital has neurologists on staff, they are not always available for consultation in the hospital. Before telestroke became available, staff neurologists on call at Washington County Hospital would be on call for phone consultations. The UPMC Stroke Institute has vascular neurologists who are on call through telestroke and available at a moment’s notice to speak with Washington County Hospital’s emergency department physicians when the need arises. For patients suffering from acute stroke symptoms, rapid assessment is critical. Many patients can be given a medication called tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, but it is critical that the medication be administered within the first three hours of symptom onset. TPA has been shown to save brain function and reduce stroke-related disability. Through the use of telestroke, the vascular neurologist can rapidly determine if this drug is needed for the patient. The neurologist can then direct the emergency department physician in administering the drug. According to the American Heart Association, using telestroke can be as effective as face-to-face examination by a neurologist, and it is a much better option than phone consultations for assessment of acute stroke. The use of telestroke by community hospitals has shown to be clinically effective in reducing neurological deficits and enhancing acute stroke care. Now that care through telestroke is available at Washington County Hospital, patients and their families who arrive at the emergency department with acute stroke symptoms can be assured that a team of specialized stroke doctors—along with Washington County Hospital’s physicians and staff—are ready and waiting to care for their needs. Offering cutting-edge programs like telestroke is one more way Washington County Hospital is giving patients the care they need, close to home.
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When it comes to caring for patients suffering from acute stroke, every second counts. That’s why Washington County Hospital has teamed up with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Stroke Institute to provide patients suffering from acute stroke with immediate and expert care, “live” through stroke telemedicine. 
