Telehealth solution approved for stroke assessment in Northern Ireland

A telehealth solution that allows for the remote assessment of patients has been approved for the emergency assessment of patients with suspected stroke in Northern Ireland.

Health Services Limited’s (HSL) Telehealth system enables clinicians to carry out virtual video consultations and diagnosis of patients.

As soon as a possible stroke patient presents to A&E the tool can be used to connect emergency clinicians with specialist stroke consultants to provide appropriate advice and treatment.

The solution can be used on tablets, smartphones and laptops, making it different to other virtual stroke assessment tools in the market, the company claimed.

Previous virtual healthcare solutions ran on external systems, had no integration and relied on dedicated devices and network services to work, it said in a statement.

Sam McMaster, director of telehealth for HSL, said: “Our Telehealth platform presents to the consultant through a simple to use app that includes the features and facilities they need to undertake the initial diagnosis of the patient.

“This assures security, a simple and easy to use workflow, and the ability to include the results in the electronic care record for the patient.”

Chief executive Dominic Walsh added: “We believe that our Telehealth platform will transform the diagnosis of this condition as it will enable stroke consultants to support their clinical colleagues as soon as a patient presents at A&E, giving them the facilities they need to undertake a risk-free diagnosis of the extent and nature of the stroke and to provide timely, lifesaving interventions.”

The solution is already in place in hospitals and GP surgeries across the UK and Ireland.