REACH: Telemedicine Partnership Links Cortland’s Stroke Patients to Immediate Care

 

Every minute counts when treating stroke victims. During a stroke, blood flow – and therefore oxygen flow – to the brain is disrupted. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, even for minutes, permanent brain damage and even death is possible. That’s why Cortland Regional Medical Center has partnered with University Hospital of the SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse to implement REACH (Rural Evaluation of Acute isCHemic stroke) to allow physicians to make the most of each minute stroke patients are under their care. Cortland Regional is one of only 16 hospitals statewide to adopt REACH and fits in with its overall strategy of exploring innovative ways to better serve its patients.

 

Prior to REACH, Cortland area patients would first be seen at Cortland Regional and then taken directly to designated stroke centers in Syracuse or Binghamton. Now, Cortland area patients have immediate access to the region’s best stroke care via telemedicine through REACH.

 

REACH allows Cortland Regional medical professionals to instantly communicate with top neurologists that are part of University Hospital’s stroke center, via a web camera and a secure Internet connection (telemedicine). This real-time connection enables Cortland Regional staff to send CT scans over the connection and then talk “face-to-face” with neurologists. And through this real-time connection, neurologists can see and remotely examine Cortland patients.

 

“Through this new program, Cortland area stroke patients are being treated by some of the country’s leading stroke specialists and neurologists at University Hospital. And most importantly, these stroke patients are being treated quickly – and when it comes to stroke, every minute makes a difference,” says Dr. David Wirtz, emergency room physician and Chair of Cortland Regional’s Stroke Committee.

The most important part of stroke treatment is recognizing that a stroke has occurred. Why does it matter when the stroke occurred? Because treatment options vary based upon how long ago the stroke happened. Treatment within two hours of onset of stroke symptoms best minimizes potential damage.

 

The REACH program at Cortland Regional has improved and standardized stroke recognition and treatment through hospital-wide training. Nurses and physicians have been trained utilizing the NIH (National Institute of Health) stroke scale and have undergone training in the assessment and management of stroke patients.

 

 

Patients identified as stroke patients immediately become the highest priority in the ER. At Cortland Regional, the goal is for stroke patients to undergo testing and treatment within 10 minutes of arriving in the Emergency Room. Testing may involve EKG, CAT scans, blood draws and X-rays. While the patient is undergoing these tests, the ER physician begins consulting with a neurologist at University Hospital.

Based on the evaluation and recommendations given by the neurologist and ER physician, the patient is either admitted to Cortland Regional for treatment or transferred to Upstate. For patients who meet treatment criteria and have had a stroke within three hours, CRMC will administer a clot-dissolving drug (blood clots in the brain cause the stroke). For more serious cases, such as those that require removing a clot from the brain, the patient is transferred to University Hospital where interventional radiology is used.

“The REACH program is another example of Cortland Regional raising the benchmark on standards of care. We believe the Cortland community deserves healthcare that’s on par with larger, urban hospitals.” says Dr. Wirtz. “We could have sought out a single neurologist to head up our stroke center, but instead we’re going one step further and bringing Cortland residents the very best stroke care in the nation. Thanks to REACH, patients have access to multiple neurologists and some of the most advanced stroke treatments and procedures available today.” Cortland Regional is constantly seeking out the latest medical advancements and technology – such as the REACH program – with the ultimate goal of delivering the best possible care to area residents.