Telemedicine helps experts treat stroke from afar

Examining stroke patients via videoconferencing is as effective as a bedside exam and can increase patient access to stroke specialists, says a statement released by the American Heart Association. Stroke patients require rapid assessment in order to determine if they're eligible for time-sensitive treatments such as tissue plasminogen activator, which can save brain function and reduce stroke-related disability, the AHA explained in a news release. These patient evaluations often need to be done by stroke and brain imaging specialists, but there are only about four neurologists per 100,000 people in the United States.