Tele-stroke gives better access and faster treatment

7 September 2016

Tele-stroke initiative gives patients better access and faster treatment

A regional initiative being led by Capital & Coast DHB is ensuring that stroke patients from around the lower North Island and upper South Island receive better access and faster treatment to reduce post-stroke disability and enjoy a higher level of independence.

Around 9,000 New Zealanders have a stroke each year, and many become permanently disabled. Treatment like stroke thrombolysis can reduce the risk of disability if administered quickly.

“Thrombolysis involves administering a thrombolytic or ‘clot-busting’ agent intravenously to break down blood clots. The sooner it can be administered, the more it can help patients avoid disability,” said Dr Anna Ranta, Stroke Neurologist and Executive Director (Clinical) – Medicine, Cancer, and Community.

“Patients should receive this treatment within the ‘golden hour’ immediately after a stroke. But this doesn’t always happen due to factors like some hospitals lacking 24-hour access to a neurologist or stroke specialist, and some patients presenting too late.”

Along with its national FAST (Face, Arm, Speech and Time) campaign to highlight stroke signs and the need to act quickly, the Ministry of Health is funding the pilot to increase patient access to high-quality thrombolysis services.

“Under the pilot, CCDHB neurologists use video-conferencing to advise doctors who have less expertise with strokes – at Hastings, Palmerston North, Nelson and Wairau hospitals – to ensure stroke patients are treated promptly.

“Only 10 weeks into the pilot, we’re already seeing significant improvement in stroke thrombolysis treatment rates and lower treatment delays. Even Wellington patients are treated faster as neurologists can be with them immediately via videoconference instead of delaying assessment by driving into the hospital.

The tele-stroke pilot is due to end on 30 November, after which the Ministry of Health will decide whether the model should be rolled out in other parts of New Zealand.

“We’ve received consistently positive feedback from patients and frontline staff. From a CCDHB perspective, this model works and we hope to continue using it into the future.”

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