Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City, N.M., recently acquired telemedicine neurology equipment to diagnose a stroke more quickly in emergency department patients, Silver City Daily Press reports.
Gila Regional received the telemedicine machine as a gift from Austin, Texas-based St. David's Foundation. The machine features a teleneurology camera and video link that can connect Gila Regional stroke patients with a remote neurologist who can immediately diagnose and manage their care.
Once Gila Regional medical staff identify a patient has experienced a stroke and they have gathered all the individual's relevant health information, Gila Regional clinicians can use the telemedicine machine to connect with the stroke specialist for the remote examination.
"This is going to allow stroke patients to stay in their community, their hometown … providing a resource we don't have, [for example] a stroke expert, a neurologist," said Stephen Kotch, MD, Gila Regional Medical Center's incoming ED director, according to the report.