Telestroke and Teleneurology will give local patients access to Penn Medicine neurologists
Grand View Health has announced an agreement with Penn Medicine to provide advanced neurological services, including Telestroke and Teleneurology consultations. This partnership will give patients requiring emergent neurological evaluations at Grand View Hospital 24/7 access to neurologists from Penn Medicine.
Telestroke emergency consults will begin on Nov. 27, while Teleneurology consults are expected to begin in February 2022.
“Providing access to some of the top neurologists in the country will improve outcomes for people suffering a stroke or in need of neurological evaluation,” said interim President and CEO Doug Hughes, RN, BSN, MBA. “Our existing partnerships with Penn Medicine for Trauma, Cancer and Orthopaedics have been well-received by our community and the addition of these services for stroke will complement our already strong program.” Grand View Health is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
The Penn Medicine Telestroke Program enables Penn providers to communicate with hospital care teams to quickly evaluate and treat people experiencing an acute stroke. Because time matters when having a stroke, the Telestroke Program provides remote access to the expertise needed when stroke specialists are not present or immediately available at the hospital in which the patient presents. The ultimate goal of the program is to prevent any further damage to the brain.
Benefits to the patient include:
- Immediate brain imaging review by a Penn stroke expert
- Remote examination and consultation by a Penn stroke expert
- Accurate diagnosis
- Immediate treatment options
The Penn Medicine Teleneurology Program expands access for patients who require inpatient neurological evaluation. Visits with providers are facilitated through secure, HIPAA-compliant connections, and examinations include enhanced cameras and assistance from a dedicated Neurology trained advanced practice provider who is on location with the patient.
“Telemedicine can be a remarkable tool to deliver neurology care,” says Frances Jensen, MD, FACP, Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology, Penn Medicine. “We can provide more timely consults for patients in the convenience of their hospital room. This is a tremendous benefit for patients with neurological conditions.”