Telehealth stroke care solution rolled out in Northern Ireland

A specialist supplier of medical equipment has launched its next generation telehealth solution for the emergency assessment of patients with suspected stroke.

Hospital Services Limited (HSL) solution is now available across Northern Ireland – the system is already in place in hospitals and GP surgeries throughout the UK and Ireland.

It enables clinicians to carry out virtual consultations and diagnosis of patients suspected of having a stroke.

Dominic Walsh, HSL chief executive, said: “We are extremely pleased that Telehealth for stroke care has been accepted by consultants across Northern Ireland.

“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.

“We are privileged to be in a position to undertake such innovative and beneficial work for the magnificent people in our NHS.”

Although virtual assessment tools for stroke care are not new, HSL Telehealth solution enables a clinician to assess a patient from a tablet, smartphone or laptop.

This makes it more interoperable than other solutions, according to the company.

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.”