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| |  AHA STROKE CONFERENCE: Telemedicine On Ambulances May Save Stroke Patients BALTIMORE, MD -- February 5, 1998 -- Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center are the first in the nation to use sophisticated video and computer technology to assess a stroke patient's condition during an ambulance ride, before arrival at the hospital. Two Maryland Express Care ambulances have been outfitted with digital cellular equipment that allows neurologists in their hospital office to see a stroke patient in real time video and speak to the emergency medical personnel on the ambulance as they rush the patient to the hospital. "Every moment counts, now that we have a drug to dissolve clots causing the stroke," said Marian LaMonte, M.D., director of the Brain Attack Team at the University of Maryland Medical Center. "If we can save time and get a head start in evaluating patients even before they arrive at the hospital, we may be able to prevent more death and disability." In addition to allowing doctors to see the patient's neurological symptoms, the new TeleBAT program (named for the Brain Attack Team) also allows the transmission of a blood analysis from two drops of a patient's blood during the ambulance ride. In addition, the patient's vital signs, including an EKG, are transmitted to the doctor's computer screen at the hospital. Dr. LaMonte presented results of early testing of the system at the American Heart Association's 23rd International Joint Conference on Stroke and Cerebral Circulation today in Orlando, FL. "By having this information ahead of time, before the patient arrives at the hospital, we hope to shave about 20 minutes off of the evaluation time," Dr. LaMonte added. "That is very important considering that we only have a three-hour window from the time stroke symptoms begin to administer the clot-busting drug, Activase. "Our preliminary findings indicate that the system will be useful in patient diagnosis and care." The prototype hardware cost about $27,000. It includes two computers to run the system and four digital cellular telephones. "The system we have developed provides a lot of flexibility," said Yan Xiao, Ph.D., an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who has co-ordinated the project. "We have set it up so that a physician can interact with emergency personnel and patients on two or more ambulances at the same time. "Also, the physician can log on to any computer with an internet connection to use the technology. That means there will be no unnecessary delay in starting to evaluate a patient who is being rushed to the hospital." "This new, sophisticated system is just the first step in helping medical professionals save the lives of patients with time-sensitive interventions," said Colin F. Mackenzie, M.D., professor and vice chairman of anesthesiology at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Dr. Mackenzie is the principal investigator of a study funded by the U.S. Department of Defense to study practical applications of telemedicine for trauma patients . "For example, this technology may help trauma patients who need insertion of a tube into the windpipe to maintain breathing and oxygenation even before they reach a hospital," Dr. Mackenzie said. Paramedics would have the help of trauma doctors to guide them during the ambulance ride as they stabilise a patient. The system would also help trauma centres prepare to receive patients before they arrive at the front door.
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