4.5 hours is the maximum window for giving a blood-clot busting drug to treat strokes; Lees Summit Medical Centers new robot helps speed up diagnosis
Lees Summit Medical Center recently added robotic technology to its arsenal for treating stroke patients.
Andy, for android (the nickname hospital staff gave the device) allows a neurologist from another location to interview and observe patients first hand, saving crucial time in diagnosing strokes.
Its better than relying on a description from the nurse, said Gina Gregg, who is the stroke coordinator for the hospital.
Heres how it works:
A stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted to the brain, either from a clot or hemorrhage. The sooner treatment starts, the less damage there is to the brain.
Time is brain its said and the emergency room staff doesnt want to wait for a neurologist to drive to the hospital in the evenings or on weekends when one is not at the hospital.
Instead they reach the on-call neurologist who logs on to a laptop computer, using a secure wireless network, and links to robot at the medical center thats in the patients room.
The doctors face shows up on the robots screen, with a smaller image in the corner where the patient can see what the doctor sees. That helps make the patient more comfortable with the communications.
The doctor controls a robotic camera, zooming in to look at the patients face so they can look for symptoms of stroke. They talk with the patient; the robot is equipped with speakers and microphones.
Read the original here:
Stroke “robot” saves critical minutes