NHS (National Health Service) Surrey is helping to save the lives of stroke victims by using unified communications (UC) company Polycom high-definition video collaboration offerings to bring remote patients together face-to-face with medical professionals for early intervention.
The new telemedicine system gives the hospitals’ stroke teams fast access to stroke consultant experts at any time, even when the consultant isn’t on-site and the Polycom’s video collaboration offering is making it possible for patients to get round-the-clock specialist, consultant-led care with faster treatment times and improved outcomes for patients.
The Polycom video collaboration offering for the Telestroke Network Project includes two mobile Polycom Practitioner carts for each of the five hospitals, plus Polycom video collaboration software on laptops for each of nine consultant stroke physicians that are on call from their homes.
Using Polycom video on laptops, the consultants connect to any of the Polycom Practitioner Carts in the five hospitals, right at the patient’s bedside.
Controlling a camera remotely, the specialist can see the detailed clinical examination performed by the clinician at the bedside.
Surrey Heart and Stroke Network manager Felicity Dennis said making 24/7 thrombolysis for stroke patients available at Surrey’s hospitals has been the focus of everyone in the Surrey Heart and Stroke Network for the past three years.
"We are all delighted that this has now become a reality," said Dennis.
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Polycom EMEA Healthcare director Andrew Graley said the Polycom Practitioner cart is a simple but game-changing solution, which gives healthcare providers the means through video collaboration to treat more patients far more flexibly and cost-effectively.
"Patients are benefiting from on-demand access to scarce stroke experts, making it easier for family and caregivers to cope with and treat this life-threatening condition," said Graley.
