Stroke Care
When a patient comes to the hospital with stroke symptoms, it’s crucial to make a proper diagnosis quickly in order to begin treatment to minimize the effects of a stroke. Lake Granbury Medical Center’s stroke care team delivers potentially life-saving care for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.
Patients who arrive at the emergency room at Lake Granbury Medical Center with stroke symptoms can now receive immediate 24-hour stroke care, thanks to a telemedicine cart. This means that lifesaving medical intervention for potential stroke patients is right here in Granbury.
Telemedicine
If it's suspected that a stroke has occurred, our stroke team will take a scan of the patient’s brain and, if further examination is warranted, the telemedicine cart is wheeled into the patient’s room. This fully interactive telemedicine cart allows a neurologist – a doctor specially trained in stroke care – to examine a patient as though he or she were sitting at the bedside, download and review the brain scan image and discuss the findings with the patient and ER staff.
The neurologist can also do a remote examination of the patient through video conferencing, where the patient is able to see and talk to the neurologist. Because the telemedicine cart can focus on the patient in the exam room and zoom in so close that the patient’s pupils and other vital signs can be assessed, the neurologist is able to evaluate the patient’s condition, make a prompt diagnosis and recommend treatment quickly.
Patients will benefit from the knowledge of board-certified neurologists who are experienced in the evaluation of acute stroke patients and the administration of r-TPA, a clot-dissolving medication used to treat stroke symptoms.