Smartphone teleradiology application is successfully incorporated into a telestroke network environment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: ResolutionMD mobile application runs on a Smartphone and affords vascular neurologists access to radiological images of patients with stroke from remote sites in the context of a telemedicine evaluation. Although reliability studies using this technology have been conducted in a controlled environment, this study is the first to incorporate it into a real-world hub and spoke telestroke network. The study objective was to assess the level of agreement of brain CT scan interpretation in a telestroke network between hub vascular neurologists using ResolutionMD, spoke radiologists using a Picture Archiving and Communications System, and independent adjudicators. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with stroke at the spoke hospital consented to receive a telemedicine consultation and participate in a registry. Each CT was evaluated by a hub vascular neurologist, a spoke radiologist, and by blinded telestroke adjudicators, and agreement over clinically important radiological features was calculated. RESULTS: Agreement (κ and 95% CI) between hub vascular neurologists using ResolutionMD and (1) the spoke radiologist; and (2) independent adjudicators, respectively, were: identification of intracranial hemorrhage 1.0 (0.92-1.0), 1.0 (0.93-1.0), neoplasm 1.0 (0.92-1.0), 1.0 (0.93-1.0), any radiological contraindication to thrombolysis 1.0 (0.92-1.0), 0.85 (0.65-1.0), early ischemic changes 0.62 (0.28-0.96), 0.58 (0.30-0.86), and hyperdense artery sign 0.40 (0.01-0.80), 0.44 (0.06-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: CT head interpretations of telestroke network patients by vascular neurologists using ResolutionMD on Smartphones were in excellent agreement with interpretations by spoke radiologists using a Picture Archiving and Communications System and those of independent telestroke adjudicators using a desktop viewer. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov unique identifier NCT00829361.

CT interpretation in a telestroke network: agreement among a spoke radiologist, hub vascular neurologist, and hub neuroradiologist.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The American Stroke Association guidelines emphasized the need for further high-quality studies that assess agreement by radiologists and nonradiologists engaged in emergency telestroke assessments and decision-making. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the level of agreement of baseline brain CT scan interpretations of patients with acute stroke presenting to telestroke spoke hospitals between central reading committee neuroradiologists and each of 2 groups, spoke hospital radiologists and hub hospital vascular neurologists (telestrokologists). METHODS: The Stroke Team Remote Evaluation Using a Digital Observation Camera Arizona trial was a prospective, urban single-hub, rural 2-spoke, randomized, blinded, controlled trial of a 2-way, site-independent, audiovisual telemedicine and teleradiology system designed for remote evaluation of adult patients with acute stroke versus telephone consultation to assess eligibility for treatment with intravenous thrombolysis. In the telemedicine arm, the subjects' CT scans were interpreted by the hub telestrokologist and in the telephone arm by the spoke radiologist. All subjects' CT scans were subsequently interpreted centrally, independently, and blindly by 2 hub neuroradiologists. The primary CT outcome was determination of a CT-based contraindication to thrombolytic treatment. Kappa statistics and exact agreement rates were used to analyze interobserver agreement. RESULTS: Fifty-four subjects underwent random assignment. The overall agreement for the presence of radiological contraindications to thrombolysis was excellent (0.91) and did not differ substantially between the hub telestrokologist to neuroradiologist and spoke radiologist to neuroradiologist (0.92 and 0.89, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the context of a telestroke network designed to assess patients with acute stroke syndromes, agreement over the presence or absence of radiological contraindications to thrombolysis was excellent whether the comparisons were between a telestrokologist and neuroradiologist or between spoke radiologist and neuroradiologist. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00623350.

Stroke team remote evaluation using a digital observation camera in Arizona: the initial mayo clinic experience trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Telemedicine techniques can be used to address the rural-metropolitan disparity in acute stroke care. The Stroke Team Remote Evaluation Using a Digital Observation Camera (STRokE DOC) trial reported more accurate decision making for telemedicine consultations compared with telephone-only and that the California-based research network facilitated a high rate of thrombolysis use, improved data collection, low risk of complications, low technical complications, and favorable assessment times. The main objective of the STRokE DOC Arizona TIME (The Initial Mayo Clinic Experience) trial was to determine the feasibility of establishing, de novo, a single-hub, multirural spoke hospital telestroke research network across a large geographical area in Arizona by replicating the STRokE DOC protocol. METHODS: Methods included prospective, single-hub, 2-spoke, randomized, blinded, controlled trial of a 2-way, site-independent, audiovisual telemedicine system designed for remote examination of adult patients with acute stroke versus telephone consultation to assess eligibility for treatment with intravenous thrombolysis. The primary outcome measure was whether the decision to give thrombolysis was correct. Secondary outcomes were rate of thrombolytic use, 90-day functional outcomes, incidence of intracerebral hemorrhages, and technical observations. RESULTS: From December 2007 to October 2008, 54 patients were assessed, 27 of whom were randomized to each arm. Mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at presentation was 7.3 (SD 6.2) points. No consultations were aborted; however, technical problems (74%) were prevalent in the telemedicine arm. Overall, the correct treatment decision was established in 87% of the consultations. Both modalities, telephone (89% correct) and telemedicine (85% correct), performed well. Intravenous thrombolytic treatment was used in 30% of the telemedicine and telephone consultations. Good functional outcomes at 90 days were not significantly different. There were no statistically significant differences in mortality (4% in telemedicine and 11% in telephone) or rates of intracerebral hemorrhage (4% in telemedicine and 0% in telephone). CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to extend the original STRokE DOC trial protocol to a new state and establish an operational single-hub, multispoke rural hospital telestroke research network in Arizona. The trial was not designed to have sufficient power to detect a difference between the 2 consultative modes: telemedicine and telephone-only. Whether by telemedicine or telephone consultative modalities, there were appropriate treatment decisions, high rates of thrombolysis use, improved data collection, low rates of intracerebral hemorrhage, and equally favorable time requirements. The learning curve was steep for the hub and spoke personnel of the new telestroke network, as reflected by frequent technical problems. Overall, the results support the effectiveness of highly organized and structured stroke telemedicine networks for extending expert stroke care into rural remote communities lacking sufficient neurological expertise.

The state of emergency stroke resources and care in rural Arizona: a platform for telemedicine.

A rural-urban disparity exists in acute stroke management practices in Arizona. A proposed solution is a statewide acute stroke care plan centered on stroke telemedicine. Our purpose was to evaluate the emergency stroke resources available at and care provided by remote Arizona hospitals and to formulate a 5-year stroke telemedicine plan for Arizona rural residents. We used the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Web site to identify all eligible institutions. Consenting personnel were mailed the survey on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health Services. To construct the 5-year telemedicine plan, we used survey data as well as our previously designed stroke telemedicine research trial. We estimated the resources, the geographic coverage, and the operating costs. Thirty-five hospitals met survey eligibility criteria; however, 24/35 (69%) hospitals completed the survey. Only one hospital had neurologists on call 24/7. Hospitals thrombolysed 2%-4% of all stroke patients annually. Ninety percent of the hospitals were interested in participating in a statewide telemedicine initiative. The stroke telemedicine plan divided Arizona into two regions, each with a one-hub to three-spoke ratio. The budget was estimated to be U.S. $8,141,217.10 for 5 years. Remote communities of Arizona were underserviced with regard to the availability of neurologists and the delivery of emergency stroke care. The majority of the remote emergency departments were interested in participating as spoke sites in a statewide stroke telemedicine initiative. Telemedicine may be an effective method to provide expert care to stroke patients located in rural areas.

Sleep apnea and white matter disease in hypertensive patients: a case series.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular disease. Transient episodes of hypoxia, hypercapnia, and blood pressure elevation during OSA may lead to neural damage and subsequently white matter disease (WMD). As WMD is usually the result of chronic small vessel ischemia, a relationship between OSA and cerebrovascular disease may exist. This case series aimed to establish a relationship between OSA and WMD. Sixty-two patients without cerebrovascular disease who had both a polysomnogram and brain magnetic resonance imaging were identified. All patients carried the diagnosis of HTN. WMD was evaluated using the age-related white matter changes scale. Although half of the study population had WMD on magnetic resonance imaging, no association was found between WMD with severity of OSA (P=0.9). Our results are limited by the small sample size and by coexistent HTN in all patients. Further studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between OSA and WMD, especially among nonhypertensive patients. Future research should also address if OSA treatment has any effect on WMD.

Vascular neurology nurse practitioner provision of telemedicine consultations.

Objective. The objective was to define and evaluate a role for the Vascular Neurology-Nurse Practitioner (VN-NP) in the delivery of telemedicine consultations in partnership with a vascular neurologist. Methods. Prospective stroke alert patients at participating hospitals underwent a two-way audio video telemedicine consultation with a VN-NP at a remotely located stroke center in partnership with a vascular neurologist. Demographic information, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, diagnoses, CT contraindications to thrombolysis, thrombolysis eligibility, and time interval data were collected. The inter-rater agreement between VN-NP and vascular neurologist assessments was calculated. Results. Ten patients were evaluated. Four were determined to have ischemic stroke, one had a transient ischemic attack, two had intracerebral hemorrhages, and three were stroke mimics. Overall, three patients received thrombolysis. The inter-rater agreement between VN-NP and vascular neurologist assessments were excellent, ranging from 0.9 to 1.0. The duration of VN-NP consultation was 53.2 +/- 9.0 minutes, which included the vascular neurologist supervisory evaluation time of 12.0 +/- 9.6 minutes. Conclusion. This study illustrated that a stroke center VN-NP, in partnership with a vascular neurologist, could deliver timely telemedicine consultations, accurate diagnoses, and correct treatments in acute stroke patients who presented to remotely located rural emergency departments within a hub and spoke network. VN-NPs may fulfill the role of a telestroke provider.

Nursing Roles within a Stroke Telemedicine Network.

Time sensitive acute stroke treatments and the growing shortage of vascular neurologists compound to create a gap in the delivery of care to meet the American Stroke Association guidelines in underserviced regions. Audio/video consultation (telemedicine), which has been evolving since the late 1990's, is a putative solution. While telemedicine can serve as a valuable facilitative tool, the telestroke consultation is only one piece of a complex collaboration between hub and spoke environments and clinical personnel. The growing use of telemedicine in stroke offers more opportunities for all nurses to participate in the continuum of cerebrovascular disease care. A review of this collaboration will include but will not be limited to: algorithms of the acute stroke evaluation, hub and spoke staff meetings, stroke education for spoke staff, and patient follow-up post acute treatment. Our team's telemedicine experience, utilizing research, education, and clinical practice, will be described.

Stroke telemedicine.

Stroke telemedicine is a consultative modality that facilitates care of patients with acute stroke at underserviced hospitals by specialists at stroke centers. The design and implementation of a hub-and-spoke telestroke network are complex. This review describes the technology that makes stroke telemedicine possible, the members that should be included in a telestroke team, the hub-and-spoke characteristics of a telestroke network, and the format of a typical consultation. Common obstacles to the practice of telestroke medicine are explored, such as medicolegal, economic, and market issues. An example of a state-based telestroke network is thoroughly described, and established international telestroke networks are presented and compared. The opportunities for future advances in telestroke practice, research, and education are considered.