Osceola Medical Center Launches New Program Designed to Offer Quicker Response in Time-Crucial Stroke Care

Every minute matters when a patient presents with symptoms of stroke. The quicker the diagnosis, the faster the care—and the faster the care, the better chance you have of thriving after your stroke.

In keeping with its mission to provide residents of the St. Croix Valley with comprehensive care, close to home, Osceola Medical Center has teamed up with Allina Health to offer TeleStroke, a program designed to deliver accurate and prompt diagnosis of stroke so that important treatment can begin as quickly as possible. 

“This program represents a significant step forward in expanding access to timely, high-quality stroke care for OMC patients,” says OMC’s CEO, Kelly Macken-Marble.

With the adoption of the TeleStroke program, OMC is now equipped with special video technology that allows an Allina Health stroke neurologist to examine a patient who's miles away. The program was developed specifically for smaller hospitals, like OMC, who generally don’t have a neurologist on call 24/7. With acute stroke expertise available virtually at the bedside, stroke patients don't lose precious time being transferred to another hospital before the critical therapy can begin.

Through TeleStroke and shared stroke protocols, rural hospitals like OMC are able to provide the same level of specialty care as that of Allina’s highly regarded Stroke Centers. The program also provides protocols for rapidly transferring patients to Comprehensive Stroke Centers for definitive stroke care and rehabilitation.

Through TeleStroke services, OMC’s ER clinicians will have the ability to connect with specialized neurologists in real time for:

• Acute stroke evaluation and management, including rapid assessment and treatment decision support.

• Routine neurological consultations, enhancing care for patients with a broader range of neurological needs.

This advancement strengthens our clinical capabilities, supports our clinicians in delivering evidence-based care, and improves patient outcomes, particularly in time-sensitive stroke situations.

“TeleStroke is making a positive difference in other small communities,” says Macken-Marble. “We’re thrilled to provide this advanced and necessary level of care for our community now, too.”