Acute Telestroke - Evaluation

The evaluation funding for the initial pilot sites was provided by Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, this is now being led by Dr Mary Joan MacLeod from Aberdeen University / NHS Grampian. Dr Gillian Mead Edinburgh University / NHS Lothian are continuing to collate qualitative data from patients and staff in Lothian. Using the evaluation data collated via the SCTT from the South Network plus data from Grampian, Lanarkshire and Lothian, a joint publication is planned for later this year.

To evaluate the outcomes for stroke patients in Europe, it is recommended that all thrombolysed patients should have their data entered into the SITS Most European trial however not all physicians in Scotland have been doing so. It was decided to set up a Scottish model for collating outcome data of those thrombolysed. This audit has been embedded in the national Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCAS). Data coordinators in each health board are part of the stroke teams and able to ensure the relevant information is captured.

It is important that we collate the data for all those who have had a video consultation for acute stroke, whether thrombolysed or not. It is estimated that only one out of every three patients considered eligible at initial assessment will be thrombolysed after full assessment by the stroke physician. As mentioned above, the SCTT coordinated an evaluation of all those assessed for potential stroke thrombolysis, this will become part of the publication mentioned above.

IST-3 (International Stroke Trial)
Telemedicine consultations are also being used to support hyper acute stroke research.  In Scotland several patients were recruited into the third international stroke trial (IST-3) after a telestroke recruitment interview.

Commenting on this Professor Peter Langhorne, chairman of the Scottish Stroke Research Network said, “IST-3 has pioneered the use of telemedicine consultation to support recruitment and this approach shows promise for future stroke trials, providing a professional with the necessary knowledge of a specific trial and recruitment process is available at the referring site”.