Telestroke: Overcoming Barriers to Lifesaving Treatment in Rural Hospitals
Telestroke is the use of telemedicine specifically for stroke care. In the United States, about 40 neurologists are available per 100,000 persons. Acute ischemic stroke is often misdiagnosed by primary care or emergency medicine physicians in up to 30 percent of cases. A key advantage of using telestroke is the ability to treat patients in an efficient manner in rural areas where neurologists may not always be readily accessible.