SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InTouch Health, the world leader in Remote Presence Total Telemedicine solutions, is advancing stroke care by developing Remote Presence hospital networks that accelerate a patient’s access to clinical stroke experts. To date, the Company has more than 25 stroke and multispecialty care networks comprised of over 300 hospital locations.
Based on national statistics, only 2-3% of stroke patients presenting in hospital emergency rooms are receiving proper care according to best practices in stroke treatment. At the Michigan Stroke Network, stroke patients are receiving appropriate treatment at 5-6 times the national average by utilizing InTouch Health’s solutions to bring stroke specialists to patients quickly and efficiently.
“InTouch Health Remote Presence is a break-through technology that addresses the barriers and thought processes of old techniques in stroke care,” stated Jack Weiner, CEO of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, the hub hospital for the Michigan Stroke Network. “From a clinical standpoint, Remote Presence is the best way to address the stroke population as a whole. Due to the gross misdistribution of specialists, Remote Presence offers a way to balance specialized stroke care in an equitable and cost efficient manner. Where you live should not be the reason for varying levels of clinical outcomes.”
Few hospitals have 24/7 access to stroke neurologists for emergency stroke care, and even fewer are able to staff one of the 500 neurointerventional specialists qualified to deliver advanced stroke interventions. “Because Remote Presence enables highly trained stroke specialists to immediately assess the patients located at any network hospital, 70% of patients within the Michigan Stroke Network are able to stay in their community hospital,” commented Dr. Yulun Wang, Chairman and CEO of InTouch Health. “Without this expert consultation, the patients may be transferred to another facility, which is not only costly to them and their family members, but may lower quality of care due to delay of treatment.”
“Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States but the leading cause of disability,” Dr. Robert Rosenwasser, Chief of the Department of Neurological Surgery at Jefferson University Hospitals notes. “Given its prevalence and time-sensitive nature, it is alarming how few people receive treatment in the appropriate amount of time. Our teleneuroscience network, using InTouch’s Remote Presence, allows patients in remote areas to receive expert stroke consultation and appropriate treatment immediately in cases where every minute can make a critical difference.”
InTouch Health will be showcasing its full suite of products and services at the American Telemedicine Association Meeting in San Antonio, TX, on May 16-18, 2010.
About InTouch Health
InTouch Health provides comprehensive telemedicine solutions that enable physicians to perform real-time consults with hospital patients. Through a single interface, physicians can access a host of FDA-cleared Remote Presence devices to provide and document care into emergency rooms, critical care units, patient wards, and operating rooms. Wherever access to medical expertise is limited, InTouch Health's Remote Presence telemedicine solutions can effectively extend the physician's reach to manage patient care, thereby removing critical time and distance barriers.
The Company has more than 300 hospital locations on six continents using Remote Presence to deliver specialty care services such as stroke, cardiology, trauma, pediatrics, neonatology, psychiatry, translation services, critical care coverage, patient rounds, clinical education, and surgical/procedure mentoring. For more information about InTouch Health, please go to www.intouchhealth.com
For more information on Stroke education and treatment, please go to http://www.strokeawareness.com/stroke/index.jsp?s_cid=3010ACT22C
CONTACT:
InTouch Health
Jennifer Neisse
Marketing Communications Manager
805-562-8686 x 235
[email protected]
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