Kelly Andersen:
Telestroke is amazing and it will change the way that your stroke service runs. Telestroke's been a game-changer for the Tweed Hospital. Before Telestroke, we had some elements of the primary stroke center. So we had a Stroke Unit where we would care for people who have had a stroke. Telestroke has provided us with the ability to be able to link in with specialist neurologists, have them be a part of our Acute team from the front door, all the way through to being able to deliver a patient plan. And it means that we can, we have the skills now, to be able to act on those plans, be able to thrombolyze patients, or care for them after their hemorrhages. There are multiple benefits for being a Telestroke referral site. It benefits patients, patients have good outcomes, they have the ability to have contact with their stroke specialist neurologists. For your acute team, they learn skills in assessment and image reading. And for your overall service, there's a benefit in seeing patients have good outcomes. So in our experience, there's only benefit to the Telestroke service. The Telestroke for us, we've been able to enhance our overall stroke skillset, and be able to deliver thrombolysis here on site. So coming to the hospital early means that we have an opportunity to look at treatments that might improve their stroke.
