Abstract

Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. In time-sensitive clinical conditions such as acute ischemic stroke, immediate treatment with the use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and mechanical thrombectomy, is essential for clinical outcomes improved in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

However, geography and distance contribute to the disparity in acute stroke care, as most neurological centers are usually at large urban medical centers and academic medical centers.

 Telestroke addresses inequities in access to vascular neurologists, alleviating delays in urgent diagnosis and treatment for acute stroke patients, particularly in rural or low-resource settings. Telestroke leverages cutting-edge technologies that enable high-resolution, and two-way video conferencing to help remote and underserved regions, which often lack on-site stroke neurologists, provide high-quality stroke care. A telestroke program can be set up using a hub-and-spoke model or as a distribution network. The core of the hub is typically a comprehensive tertiary care center staffed with acute stroke specialists, providing telestroke services to partner sites such as small hospitals, mobile stroke units, and emergency departments.

 Artificial intelligence and machine learning can revolutionize remote stroke care, as these systems can facilitate faster and more accurate diagnoses and treatment planning. From this outline, it has been shown that shorter treatment times, higher thrombolysis rates, and improved functional outcomes compared to conventional stroke systems of care. Despite the proven effectiveness of telestroke for rapid expert management and decision making of hyperacute stroke, its adoption around the world and in other nations remains variable. Further studies evaluating the types of patient transport models and types of telemedicine will be needed to ensure proper assessment of the implementation, especially in less developed or low-income regions. As remarked above, this innovative healthcare solution aims to bridge the gap in geographic and socioeconomic stroke care. This article explores various facets of telestroke technology, shedding light on their role in improving stroke care.

 

Keywords

acute stroke, stroke care, prehospital Stroke Care, telestroke, telemedicine, teleconference, mobile stroke unit, teleconference, artificial intelligence, 5G technology