Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health System is developing a telemedicine program that will include robotic technology for stroke patients.
The health system is working with InTouch Health, a provider of telemedicine technologies, to develop the program. InTouch Health will install one robot at Summa Akron City Hospital and one at Summa Barberton (Ohio) Hospital to allow neurologists to perform real-time audiovisual consultations with emergency medicine teams.
Summa Health is collaborating with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus to provide on-call neurologists through the telemedicine platform as needed.
"Our robots, in effect, will serve as a portal through which a stroke specialist anywhere can be virtually present at a moment's notice," said Susana Bowling, MD, medical director for neurosciences at Summa Health System. "Acute stroke care is such a time-sensitive issue with a small window of treatment and, often, relatively limited access to stroke specialists. Our new telemedicine program addresses all these concerns head-on."
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