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February 11, 2010
Hospital News
Dallas Regional Medical Center has partnered with Specialists On Call (SOC) for teleneurology services. SOC is a telemedicine company certified by the Joint Commission since 2006. Through the use of computer monitors and live data feed, SOC’s stroke certified critical-care neurologists assist DRMC’s emergency physicians with the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. “Teleneurology allows a neurologist to be at the bedside within minutes,” says Patrick Daus, D.O., Emergency Department Medical Director. “When it comes to strokes, time is brain, and SOC will assist us in providing timely care to stroke patients.”
A critical-care neurologist helps ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment within the treatment window to prevent lasting impairment from ischemic stroke. The window for treatment is narrow. The clot-busting drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) can reduce the damage caused by the most common type of stoke only if it is administered within 3 hours of the first symptoms.
This is a significant addition to the care of stroke patients that will facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment of stroke. “While myocardial infarctions [heart attacks] kill more people,” says Neurologist and DRMC Stroke Medical Director Amir Torabi, M.D., “strokes have a large impact on quality of life.” Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of disability. DRMC expects to apply for its stroke center accreditation by Joint Commission, a nationwide hospital accrediting agency, this year.
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