Atlantic Health System, working with Atlantic Ambulance, was the first in the nation to deploy and use portable telestroke technology in ambulances for routine prehospital assessment of stroke patients.
When called to a stroke emergency, paramedics carry a portable device into the transporting ambulance and connect with a stroke neurologist who uses his/her desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device to conduct a rapid neurological evaluation before the patient arrives at the emergency room, reducing average time to treatment by 15 minutes.
The stroke neurologists at Overlook Medical Center also provide neurological evaluations via telestroke devices deployed in emergency departments across six counties. In 2018, out of 2,638 stroke patients treated at Atlantic Health System, 795 were evaluated through telestroke technology.
Time can make the difference between life and death. Called “door-to-needle time,” doctors have a short, 4.5-hour window from the time the stroke started in which to administer drugs that can clear blocked arteries, and up to 24 hours for patients who are eligible for endovascular interventions.
Telestroke technology brings world-class care to our regional population.
Learn more about Atlantic Health System Neuroscience's telestroke technology >