At least 20,000 patients have received lifesaving stroke care over the past decade thanks to the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) service.
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Run by Ambulance Victoria and now operating across 20 regional hospitals throughout Victoria and Tasmania, VST allows clinicians to collaborate across organisational boundaries and provide time-critical care locally.
Ambulance Victoria Loddon Mallee regional director Amelia Kohn said the service in Bendigo, Echuca, Mildura and Swan Hill played a vital role in stroke treatment, with more than 500 consultations conducted between July 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
"Many rural and regional hospitals do not have a stroke specialist on site or lack around-the-clock access to this type of expertise," Ms Kohn said.
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"People in these areas are 19 per cent more likely to have a stroke and a poorer outcome, making VST a game-changer in the emergency care of patients."
Ambulance Victoria Stroke Services director Professor Chris Bladin said every minute matters when suffering a stroke, which is why VST is crucial.
"The world-class service connects patients with expert doctors who provide diagnosis and treatment, enabling them to receive the right care at the right time regardless of their location," Prof Bladin said.
"With stroke telemedicine, patients are receiving clot-busting drugs an average of 40 minutes earlier and often within an hour of arriving at hospital."
VST operates in 18 regional Victorian hospitals and two sites in northern Tasmania.
The service became available at Albury Wodonga Health last month and will soon go live at Portland District Health.
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