Telemedicine helps victims of stroke

摘要

A Massachusetts company is looking to use videoconferencing technology to extend critical care to stroke patients in rural hospitals. Brain Saving Technologies (BST) of Wellesley is working with UMass Medical Center in Worcester and three of its affiliates to put video endpoints and dedicated Internet access in each location, which will let neurologists in Worcester consult with emergency room doctors and patients at the remote sites. The impetus behind the move is a Massachusetts law that requires emergency medical technicians to bring patients exhibiting signs of a stroke to a hospital that has a neurologist on staff 24 hours a day bypassing nearby hospitals that might not meet the requirement. Similar laws are on the books in New Jersey and Florida, with more pending in other states.