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Through the advanced technology of remote presence robotic telemedicine, the Mercy Stroke Center is now able to treat stroke patients in Folsom. Without losing critical time in transit to Sacramento, a stroke patient arriving at Mercy Hospital of Folsom can be examined via a robot linked to an on-call stroke specialist at Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Mercy General Hospital or Methodist Hospital of Sacramento. Mercy is one of the first hospitals in the area to offer this amazing wireless technology.
How it Works
When a stroke patient arrives, the emergency room staff telephones to activate the network and page the remote on-call stroke specialist. Using a mobile laptop and wireless Internet to connect to a life-sized robot, the stroke specialist is virtually at the patient's bedside within minutes.
Once connected, the stroke specialist can drive and maneuver the robot around the patient with complete mobility, as if he/she were physically at the remote site. The stroke specialist uses two-way audio and video capability to conduct a neurological assessment with the patient, to zoom in and read data visually off monitors and devices and to interact with family members and emergency room staff. The process gives the doctor the information needed to make the most informed decision for immediate management of the patient's condition.
Acknowledgement
Funding for Mercy's Telemedicine Program was generously donated by the Elliott Family Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elliott Homes. The Margaret F. Elliott Fund honors the memory of Margaret Elliott, the matriarch of the Elliott family, who succumbed to complications from strokes. |
