“Telestroke”: An Indian approach to telemedicine

• Main Author: M V Padma
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of the Practice of Cardiovascular Sciences
• Subjects: Stroke; telemedicine; thrombolysis
• Online Access: http://www.j-pcs.org/article.asp?issn=2395-5414;year=2017;volume=3;issue=1;spage=2;epage=4;aulast=Padma

Smart phone based hub and spoke telestroke model was used (using Whatsapp) with tertiary care hospitals in Himachal Pradesh (with neurologists) as hub and district hospitals (without neurologists) as spokes. Medical officers in district hospitals were trained in the treatment of stroke. Tissue plasminogen activator was made available at all these centers, free of cost through hospital pharmacies. Neurologists at two tertiary care centers were made available for consultation on phone; 26 patients received thrombolysis under the telestroke project at district hospitals without onsite neurologist. Only two patients developed an intracranial bleed following thrombolysis, and both were nonfatal. This is the first telestroke model being reported from India.