Conference Coverage
AAN: Cleveland mobile stroke unit reduces time to thrombolysis
Key clinical point: Mobile stroke units could allow more patients to meet a door-to-needle (DTN) time of under 60 minutes.
Acting as patients, three medical students were given two unique stroke scenarios each, with stories and specific instructions; vascular neurologists did a face-to-face assessment and a remote iTREAT assessment from the hospital as the students traveled along the major routes to UVA Medical Center. NIHSS scores in the ambulance with the iTREAT system and with face-to-face assessments correlated well, with an overall intraclass correlation of 0.98, Mr. Padrick reported.
The ratings of audio-video quality during the iTREAT evaluations were judged to be ”good” or “excellent” and the NIHSS correlations and audio-video quality ratings improved with time, he added.
“We currently have IRB approval to move forward with real, live patient encounters and we are currently outfitting and training our local EMS agencies” with the system, Mr. Padrick said in an interview after the meeting.
Mr. Padrick has received research support from the American Heart Association. Dr. Judd had nothing to disclose.