Royal Darwin Hospital has moved quickly to make the most of Alice Springs Hospital becoming a fully accredited stroke-capable regional hospital.
The South Australia Telestroke network has further expanded its reach into the Northern Territory with the announcement that Royal Darwin Hospital has joined the service.
The service allows neurologists based in Adelaide to provide fast consultation for patients with suspected stroke using videoconferencing technology, delivered in partnership with South Australia’s Rural Support Service (RSS).
RDH already provides 24/7 care for stroke, and joining the SA Telestroke network enables all patients with acute stroke needs to receive additional support through specialised care and after-hours expertise.
Telestroke links staff virtually with specialist stroke doctors.
Alice Springs Hospital has been a part of the SA Telestroke Service since 2019. Since that time, there have been over 180 calls and more than 15 patients have received thrombolysis treatment, according to the NT government.
ASH is now one of nine regional hospitals across Australia that are accredited stroke capable regional hospitals as part of a new certification program designed to improve stroke care.
This is the culmination of four years of work to improve stroke capability at ASH, which began with joining the SA Telestroke Service.
Key to achieving the certification was the creation of a stroke clinical care nurse coordinator, a role which is now in place to provide specialist care for patients and their families.
The accreditation means that a hospital meets a set of national stroke care criteria, which includes caring for all stroke patients on a single dedicated ward with specialist staffing, regular training, data monitoring and improvement, as well as patient involvement in decision making.
