Rural Stroke Patients

Originally Released: February, 1999
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Specialized help for rural stroke patients is a "click" away

Stroke patients in rural Southern Maryland -- which has the state's second-highest death rate from stroke -- now can receive the latest stroke therapy and specialized care immediately in their community through a new telemedicine system. The linkage is made possible through the combined efforts of the University of Maryland Medical Center, St. Mary's Hospital and Bell Atlantic.

The system allows stroke patients and their emergency department doctors at St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown to see and speak with University of Maryland stroke specialists in Baltimore, more than two hours away. The new telemedicine system is believed to be the first in the United States to evaluate stroke patients in real time using interactive, two-way audio and video communication.

"Every minute counts when you are evaluating a stroke patient and determining the best type of therapy," says Marian P. LaMonte, M.D., co-director of the Brain Attack Team at the University of Maryland Medical Center and assistant professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "The clot-busting drug TPA must be given within three hours after stroke symptoms begin, so we have to act quickly in order to prevent severe disability."

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. It is also the second leading cause of death among women and the number-one cause of adult disability. Bell Atlantic helped provide funding for the project. Each location is equipped with video cameras, television monitors and specialized computer software. The video, audio and data travel through three high-speed digital telephone lines, called ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, provided by Bell Atlantic.

The clarity of the images is so good that a consulting doctor at a remote location can see the dilation of a patient's pupils. In addition, the system has the capacity to transmit a patient's CT scan, an imaging test that is essential to diagnose the type of stroke and determine the best treatment, to stroke specialists for the consultation. Laboratory data, such as the level of clotting factors in a patient's blood, also can be sent over the system.

"With the help of this state-of-the-art technology and the expertise of University of Maryland stroke specialists, along with a community education campaign, we hope to have a major impact in the battle against stroke," says Christine Wray, Chief Executive Officer of St. Mary's Hospital. "Through this partnership, our patients now have access to the very best stroke intervention and care."

"Today, telecommunications is enabling an increasing number of physicians to examine patients, review data and confer with colleagues across town, throughout the state, and around the world," says Sherry F. Bellamy, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic-Maryland. "This telemedicine system is an excellent example of how innovative providers can use the communications infrastructure to improve health care in Maryland. Bell Atlantic will continue to support projects designed to meet challenges in health care, education and economic development."

"The link with St. Mary's Hospital is an important step in our plan to build a statewide network with rural community hospitals to connect Maryland residents who need highly specialized care with our vast array of experts," says Morton I. Rapoport, M.D., president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Already, the University of Maryland has implemented a mobile telemedicine system to evaluate stroke patients on moving ambulances before they reach the hospital. Dr. Rapoport says in the future, the network will include a wider range of emergency care, which includes the world-famous Shock Trauma Center, as well as consultations for cancer patients, pediatric patients, and others. The network also will be used for continuing medical education for physicians and other health care providers in rural communities.

TV stations: Beta b-roll that demonstrates the new telemedicine system is available upon request.

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This page was last updated on: March 9, 2009.