By Ryan Chalk / The Reporter
The moment someone has a stroke, it doesn't take long before it's too late to curb any permanent disabilities.
For those in Solano County, a premium has been placed on getting stroke victims to emergency care as there are no "Stroke Teams -- made up of neurologists, nurses and physical therapists" certified to treat stroke victims in the county.
On Thursday, NorthBay Healthcare announced a cutting-edge partnership with Mercy Neurological Institute of Greater Sacramento to bring timely care to stroke victims in Solano County without having to transport them via ground or air ambulance to facilities outside the county.
"Solano County is not a good place to suffer a stroke," Gary Passama, president and CEO of NorthBay Healthcare, told a crowd of elected officials, board members and health care professionals. "NorthBay is going to change that."
At the end of this month, the nonprofit health care organization will have its own 24/7 stroke program up and running at NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield, as well as VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, that features RP-7, a wireless, mobile "remote presence" robot. The robot will allow offsite neurological specialists to examine patients in NorthBay HealthCare's two emergency rooms in concert with local ER physicians.
Resembling Rosie, the maid from The Jetsons animated series of the 1960s, the RP-7 rolled into the lobby of NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield for a demonstration Thursday.
The robot, operated by Dr. Alan Shatzel, medical director of Mercy Neurological Institute of Greater Sacramento, has a computer screen on top which showed a real-time picture of Shatzel from his office in Sacramento. Above the screen are two cameras that look like binoculars. The robot is also equipped with a stethoscope to allow the remote doctor to listen to a patient's chest, as well as a phone for doctors to speak privately.
Typically a stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked or ruptures. On average, one patient a day arrives at one of NorthBay HealthCare's two hospitals with this condition, and when that happens, 2 million brain cells are lost per minute.
But the new telemedicine technique allows for neurologists to work alongside local ER doctors to diagnose and recommend treatment for stroke patients.
Within an hour of the patient's arrival to the ER, a diagnosis and analysis can be made by doctors on and offsite and a plan for treatment can be carried out.
"I think the technology is pretty amazing," Shatzel said. "We are virtually at the bedside."
"Without fast, effective treatment, there are severe consequences," said Diana Sullivan, service line director of NorthBay's heart and vascular center.
Only in severe cases where a patient needs neurosurgery or does not respond to medication will a stroke victim need to seek treatment elsewhere.
Because of the complexities of diagnosing a stroke and risks of side-effects with medications, ER doctors rely on a team of neurologists which are in short supply nationwide.
With the partnership with Mercy Healthcare, NorthBay HealthCare is able to avoid what one official estimated as a $1 million cost to recruit a neurologist and set up a practice. Making the stroke program possible is a lease of the robot from InTouch Technologies and an agreement that essentially makes Mercy neurologists members of NorthBay's staff. The Mercy neurologists have access from their control station to the host hospital's electronic medical records to view patient data.
NorthBay HealthCare is holding a "Name Those Robots" contest open to children and adults in Solano County and the winner will receive an Apple iPad. Deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Oct. 29. One entry per person. E-mail your entry to DBarney@NorthBay.org or send a post card with your entry to Robot Contest, Public Relations, 4500 Business Center Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534. Include your name, phone number, e-mail address and mailing address.
