REACH Call Inc., a leading provider of telemedicine solutions, announced today that OhioHealth will use its cutting-edge technology and telestroke software product to improve the treatment of stroke at several hospitals in underserved areas of central Ohio.
REACH’s telemedicine solution will allow specialists affiliated with the Columbus, Ohio-based OhioHealth, central Ohio’s largest health care system, to diagnose and treat strokes 24/7 in several underserved and/or remote hospitals in central Ohio that currently have limited or no access to acute specialized care.
OhioHealth’s flagship hospitals, Riverside Methodist Hospital and Grant Medical Center in Columbus, will serve as hubs for the new telestroke network. As hubs, these hospitals, both primary stroke centers, will offer the expertise of its neurologists and neurosurgeons in live, off-site consults with spoke hospitals in the surrounding region.
“We are excited that one of the top health care providers in the nation has chosen to use REACH Call’s innovative solutions,” said Ken Rardin, president and CEO of REACH.
“OhioHealth has been recognized as one of the most wired health care systems in the U.S. and their selection of REACH as their telestroke provider is a testament to the quality of our clinical software solutions. We look forward to partnering with OhioHealth to help grow and expand their network.”
OhioHealth, which reviewed several telemedicine providers before selecting REACH, is the latest in a growing list of health care systems and academic medical centers that are adopting REACH’s innovative telemedicine solutions for treating strokes.
REACH’s easy-to-use, Web-based solution provides the information physicians and clinicians need to conduct real-time, clinically rich consults. REACH’s solution also allows OhioHealth the flexibility to leverage its existing Polycom two-way audio/video telepresence system.
“REACH’s solution is comprehensive,” said Paula Meyers, R.N., director of OhioHealth’s stroke network. “It fits our needs, is full function and completes the calculations needed for diagnosis. Furthermore, it allows our physicians and clinicians real-time access to the consult results.”
REACH enables specialists such as neurologists and neurosurgeons to conduct off-site, live consults in time-critical emergency situations. In the case of stroke, the third leading cause of death in the U.S., timely access to a neurologist who can diagnose and treat the condition is critical.
By facilitating round-the-clock access to specialists, regardless of distance, REACH fosters better outcomes and improved patient care, as well as reduced costs for the payor.
“REACH is a solution that allows our physicians to quickly review a patient remotely and interact with the patient, his family and the staff at the spoke hospital, while at the same time gives them access to pertinent lab results and CT images,” said Andrea Darby, director of application support for OhioHealth’s information services.
“A rapid assessment will allow patients to be treated more aggressively and, if needed, transferred to a primary care center for more advanced treatment.
“OhioHealth is already a leader in telemedicine in our region with eICU, tele-imaging and tele-echo,” Darby added. “REACH fits well with OhioHealth’s mission ‘to improve the health of those we serve.’”
Business Wire