COVID-19 and Stroke Services |
Please note that there may be changes to teams and visiting due to COVID. |
Time is brain: Surrey's stroke services saving lives 24/7 with new telemedicine technology.
Five stroke teams from Surrey's acute hospitals have joined forces using the latest technology to save lives and improve results for stroke patients.
The new telemedicine system gives hospital stroke teams fast access to the specialist expertise of a stroke consultant at any time of day or night. Getting specialist clinical advice quickly is essential so that decisions about the right treatment for each individual patient can be made as soon as possible.
Thrombolysis has been shown to greatly improve recovery outcomes, meaning more stroke patients becoming independent and with less disability after their stroke. But there are other treatment options, which is why a consultant's advice is so crucial.
Using a mobile telecart at the patient's bedside and a laptop equipped with videoconferencing software, the Stroke specialist can see the patient being examined by the senior clinician on site, look at the brain scan and advise on treatment.
Unit provides a 24 hour, 7 days a week service for thrombolysis (giving 'clot-busting' drugs to break down blood clots).