Noninvasive prospective multi-center study of an interactive 2-way, wireless or site-independent, audiovisual telemedicine system designed for real-time remote examination of acute stroke symptoms and deficits as a basis for treatment consultation and recommendation.

Study aims (1) to determine the impact of a site-independent, remote, telemedicine consultation system on decision making in the Emergency Department, regarding the decision to treat or not to treat with thrombolytics; (2) to assess the numbers of patients who receive thrombolytics and the time to treatment in patients evaluated by telemedicine versus telephone only; (3) to assess the appropriateness of thrombolytic treatment decisions in telemedicine versus telephone-only consultations; and (4) to assess the completeness of the data collection in telemedicine versus telephone-only consultations.

60 patients in Arizona with acute presentation of stroke symptoms, per bedside practitioner discretion (onset generally less than 12 hours and likely less than 3 hours)

Two arms: Video Camera/Telemedicine (Intervention n = 30) and No Video Camera/Telephone only (Control n = 30)

Design

Noninvasive prospective multi-center study of an interactive 2-way, wireless or site-independent, audiovisual telemedicine system designed for real-time remote examination of acute stroke symptoms and deficits as a basis for treatment consultation and recommendation.

Study aims (1) to determine the impact of a site-independent, remote, telemedicine consultation system on decision making in the Emergency Department, regarding the decision to treat or not to treat with thrombolytics; (2) to assess the numbers of patients who receive thrombolytics and the time to treatment in patients evaluated by telemedicine versus telephone only; (3) to assess the appropriateness of thrombolytic treatment decisions in telemedicine versus telephone-only consultations; and (4) to assess the completeness of the data collection in telemedicine versus telephone-only consultations.

60 patients in Arizona with acute presentation of stroke symptoms, per bedside practitioner discretion (onset generally less than 12 hours and likely less than 3 hours)

Two arms: Video Camera/Telemedicine (Intervention n = 30) and No Video Camera/Telephone only (Control n = 30)

Assessments

All cases will undergo the following assessments:

Patient-Level Visits

Baseline: Pre-stroke Modified Rankin Scale (demographics), pre-treatment Modified Rankin Scale, medications during prior 3 days, physical exam and vital signs, NIHSS, Modified NIHSS, EKG, screening labs, and head CT scan

Treatment: Treatment times, thrombolytic safety outcome, and recanalization treatment

Day 90: Modified Rankin Scale, Barthel Index, and mortality

End of Study: End of study/Termination

Meta-Level Reviews

Adjudication: Post case completion, review and evaluation of each remote consultation on whether the recommendation for or against thrombolytic therapy was appropriate, given the information presented at each of 3 levels of adjudication.

Central Read: Post case completion, review and evaluation of each Baseline head CT scan interpretation on whether there was a CT contraindication to thrombolytic therapy.

Trial Groups

There will be two trial groups in this study. The investigators hypothesized (based upon sample size calculations) that the correct treatment will be recommended at rates of 80% (telephone) and 90% (full telemedicine).

Target Population

60 AZ patients will be randomized to either telephone-only or video telemedicine consultation. Appropriateness of therapeutic decision-making, numbers treated, time to treatment, and completeness of data collection will be evaluated and compared for each group.

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Objectives

1. to determine the impact of a site-independent, remote, telemedicine consultation system on decision making in the Emergency Department, regarding the decision to treat or not to treat with thrombolytics;
2. to assess the numbers of patients who receive thrombolytics and the time to treatment in patients evaluated by telemedicine versus telephone only;
3. to assess the appropriateness of thrombolytic treatment decisions in telemedicine versus telephone-only consultations; and
4. to assess the completeness of the data collection in telemedicine versus telephone-only consultations.

Subject Inclusion Criteria

For inclusion in the study, subjects must fulfill all of the following criteria:

• Written Informed Consent
• Eighteen years of age or older
• Symptoms consistent with acute stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)
• Acute presentation of stroke symptoms, per bedside physician discretion (onset generally less than 12 hours and likely less than 3 hours)

Subject Exclusion Criteria

The following is the sole criterion for exclusion from the study:

• Unlikely to complete study through 90-day follow-up