Virtual stroke assessment trialled in Southampton
University Hospital Southampton (UHS) is using video calls with paramedics to quickly identify and treat stroke patients.
Experts in the Hyperacute Stroke Research Centre are assessing potential stroke patients before they reach the hospital. This could help speed up treatment times and improve chances of recovery.
The trial, which launched last month, is funded by a £100,000 award from NHS England.
Treating stroke
A stroke is a medical emergency that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. It is a leading cause of death and disability.
Treatment may involve thrombolysis (a clot busting injection) or thrombectomy (an operation to remove a clot from a blocked cerebral artery).
Dr Richard Marigold, a consultant in stroke medicine at UHS, is part of the team trialling virtual stroke assessment. He said:
“By establishing a video link between the paramedic team and stroke specialists, we can review the patient as they are coming into hospital. This can help us determine whether we think they have had a stroke or not.
“If they have had a stroke, we can fast track them to the CT scanner. We can also pre-alert our teams to the possibility of the patient needing thrombolysis or thrombectomy.”
Acting fast
The sooner a stroke patient receives treatment, the greater their chance of recovery.
“For every half an hour you delay treatments in this setting, patients have a 10% less likely chance of returning to independent living,” Dr Marigold explains.
“Relatively small amounts of time can make a big difference to outcomes.”
This new approach could help stroke patients get the treatment they need around 15-20 minutes faster.
Supporting stroke research
Southampton researchers are finding new ways to treat stroke and stop it from happening.
UHS has been designated a Hyperacute Stroke Research Centre by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The accreditation means UHS can recruit patients within the first nine hours of stroke onset to help minimise brain damage. This may be through medications, devices to remove blood clots or other treatments.
The pilot scheme will help improve treatment times in line with the centre’s objectives.