Demonstrating how hub-and-spoke telestroke networks reduce disability, expand tPA eligibility, and save millions in long-term nursing home costs.
Rural emergency departments rarely have round-the-clock vascular neurologists, resulting in historical tPA administration rates below 2%, compared to over 15% in urban academic stroke centers.
Connecting rural hospitals into regional telestroke networks increases thrombolysis rates to over 14%, while rapidly identifying large vessel occlusions (LVO) eligible for mechanical thrombectomy transfers.
Health economic analyses prove that every dollar invested in telestroke infrastructure yields over four dollars in healthcare savings by preventing catastrophic disability and long-term nursing home admissions.