Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit
Allowing treatment for stroke en route to the hospital.
As one of only a handful of such units in the U.S., the Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit is revolutionary in Colorado and beyond. It allows on-board diagnosis and critical blood clot-busting medications to be administered to stroke patients en route to the hospital.
The time saved can be crucial. It can prevent the loss of millions of neurons, reducing permanent damage to a patient’s brain.
Medicine with a healthy dose of technology
CT scanner comes standard
A device that scans a stroke patient’s brain to guide treatment decisions.
Telehealth technology on board
A two-way audio visual communication system allows a neurologist at the hospital to examine, diagnose and recommend treatment for a patient in the Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit.
CLOT-busting power
The Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit is equipped with a thrombolytic medication that dissolves blood clots. The faster a stroke patient receives this medication, the better.
Driven by those driven to help
The Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit is staffed with acute care-trained professionals knowledgeable in the treatment of stroke.
- Critical-care trained nurse. This nurse has extensive critical and acute-care experience with specialized skills specific to stroke care.
- CT tech. This team member is experienced in performing rapid brain imaging necessary for diagnosis, and is also the telehealth technology operator.
- Neurologist. This stroke specialist is in the unit via telehealth technology. He or she will communicate directly with the rest of the staff to ensure the best treatment is followed and will communicate with the hospital where the patient will arrive.
- Paramedic. This hand-picked individual is exceptional at their job and has received training that’s specific to treating stroke.
- EMT. This individual is an expert in responding quickly to emergency situations regarding medical issues, with significant experience in stroke.
Taking the emergency department to the patient
References
American Heart Association Journal. Mobile Stroke Units: Evidence, Gaps, and Next Steps (https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.037376#R1R)
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI): National Library of Medicine. The mobile stroke unit and management of acute stroke in rural settings (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6050120/)