More than 1,000 stroke patients in regional and rural areas have received life-saving treatment thanks to the innovative NSW Telestroke Service.
Telestroke provides 24/7 access to stroke diagnosis and treatment, connecting local doctors to specialist stroke physicians via video consultation.
The Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) provides tailored coaching and upskilling to local teams in redesign methods and change management so they can successful rollout and embed the NSW Telestroke Service at their site.
Nina’s Telestroke story
“Telestroke will save many lives in regional and remote communities,” says patient Nina, a nurse and mother of three from Northern NSW.
In August 2021 at 4.30am, Nina’s arm and leg moved uncontrollably for two minutes. Worried, she asked her husband to drive her straight to Tweed Hospital.
Nina became paralysed on her left side and her speech became slurred.
Telestroke Neurologist, Dr Carlos Garcia Esperon from John Hunter Hospital assessed Nina via videoconferencing and ordered a specific type of CT scan. Dr Esperon reviewed Nina’s case and the CT and prescribed the appropriate medicine.
“Telestroke is a gamechanger. By 9.00pm that night I was back to normal,” says Nina.
Nina has fully recovered and is grateful that her life has returned to normal just one month after the stroke.
I’m passionate about nursing and feel that without the NSW Telestroke Service I would not have been able to return to nursing, which would have broken my heart.
NSW Premier's Awards Finalist
Telestroke was selected as a NSW Premier's Awards Finalist for Excellence in Digital Innovation.
The ACI's Telestroke team: Chris Ball, Clementia Yap, Courtney Dixon, Skye Russell, Nikki Austen, Natalie Wilson and Ellen Rawstron.
Since its launch in March 2020, sixteen hospitals across regional and rural NSW have connected to the service, which will expand to 23 sites by June 2022.
Implementation of the NSW Telestroke Service is a collaboration between Prince of Wales Hospital, eHealth NSW, the Agency for Clinical Innovation and the Ministry of Health. The NSW Telestroke Service is a $21.7 million NSW Government election commitment announced in March 2019. It is jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.