Every minute during a stroke counts. The brain loses nearly 1.9 million neurons per minute when blood flow is interrupted. That’s why timely, coordinated care can mean the difference between life-altering loss of function and meaningful recovery.
Recently, one of our teleNeurologists was called to consult on a patient arriving in the emergency department after suddenly losing the ability to walk and speak. Thanks to the seamless coordination of the on-site emergency and interventional teams and our neurologist via telemedicine, the patient received IV thrombolytics within 20 minutes of arrival and was quickly identified as a candidate for thrombectomy. Both treatments together restored blood flow to the brain and minimized long-term brain damage and loss of physical and verbal function.
The patient regained movement in his arms and legs and is now speaking, engaging in conversation, and actively working with his physical rehabilitation team.
Why This Matters
This case demonstrates the power of rapid, coordinated stroke care — and why time truly is brain. To better understand how these outcomes were achieved, watch Dr. Annie Tsui, Access TeleCare chief medical officer, neurology, walk through the case in our video feature:
