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Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
A systematic review of telestroke
Mark N Rubin1, Kay E Wellik, Dwight D Channer
1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 85254, USA.
Postgraduate Medicine
|February 9, 2013
Summary
Telestroke technology, using audiovisual communication for acute stroke care, is now mainstream globally. This systematic review confirms its reliability, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness, highlighting advancements in pre-hospital applications.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Telemedicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- The use of 2-way audiovisual (AV) technology for acute stroke evaluation and management, known as telestroke, is supported by a growing body of literature.
- A comprehensive and easily digestible systematic review of telestroke science and practice was lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a systematic review of published literature on telemedical consultation for acute stroke evaluation and management.
Main Methods:
- Searched multiple databases (Ovid Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane) from January 1996 to July 2012 using telestroke-related keywords.
- Included studies utilizing 2-way AV communication for acute stroke evaluation and management.
- Classified 145 unique studies using a novel Functionality, Application, Technology, and Evaluative stage (FATE) scoring rubric.
Main Results:
- Most telestroke studies focused on acute stroke assessment in adult emergency departments.
- Narrative reviews constituted nearly half of published telestroke articles; after exclusion, the median FATE score for primary data was 4.
Conclusions:
- Telestroke technology is integrated into mainstream clinical stroke practice internationally.
- Studies on telestroke reliability, validity, efficacy, safety, clinical, and cost-effectiveness demonstrate field maturity.
- Emerging pre-hospital telestroke studies represent significant advancements.
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