Internet helps speed stroke therapy in rural areas

'An internet-based network that allows doctors in rural hospitals to consult a stroke expert in real-time can hasten the delivery of clot-busting drugs to treat stroke patients, new research indicates. With the network, known as REACH, doctors at eight rural hospitals in Georgia were able to immediately consult a stroke expert at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). The system, which incorporates a video feed, allows the consultant to examine the patient and view the CT scan and then decide if treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is needed. A previous report has shown that stroke care at rural hospitals often does not follow published guidelines and that tPA is used infrequently." ___ As this story demonstrates, the internet is not about connectivity, it's about apps and content. Help people use the apps and the content and the connectivity becomes a small piece of the puzzle.