More NC Hospitals Join the Network

Community hospitals in Hickory, Mooresville and Statesville have joined the Wake Forest Baptist Telestroke Network.  The newest members are Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory; Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, and Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville. Now there are 10 North Carolina hospitals participating in the Telestroke Network, which is part of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s Primary Stroke Center.  The central purpose of the Wake Forest Baptist Telestroke Network is to reduce death and disability caused by strokes. It accomplishes this by partnering with community hospitals to ensure that they have 24-hour access to Wake Forest Baptist’s acute-stroke experts via two-way live video and audio consultation and image-sharing technology.  The speed of stroke patients receiving help is essential  and the Telestroke Network’s system employs highly specialized telemedicine robots that allow a Wake Forest Baptist stroke expert to evaluate a patient at a member hospital and consult with ER doctors in real time via the Internet to determine the best course of action.