WakeMed Expands Neuroscience Capabilities for Stroke and Neurology Care

RALEIGH, N.C. (October 29, 2020) – WakeMed is pleased to announce the introduction of two new neurological services aimed at helping patients gain access to the stroke and general neurology care they need as quickly as possible.

Beginning next month, WakeMed will roll-out telestroke and teleneurology programs across its emergency departments and hospitals. The addition of a virtual component to WakeMed’s range of neuroscience capabilities means faster, more comprehensive care for stroke and general neurology patients.

First, a new telestroke program will provide patients at any WakeMed Emergency Department with 24/7 access to neurological evaluation and consultation within 10 minutes of their arrival. Stroke patients will undergo a virtual neurological evaluation that offers essentially the same assessment capabilities as a face-to-face evaluation. Implementing this service system-wide with stroke specialists will help with the clinical decision-making needed to get stroke patients the interventions they need as quickly as possible. When it comes to stroke, Time is Brain, so the ability to speed up evaluation and diagnosis means stroke patients will inevitably have better outcomes.

Second, WakeMed’s new teleneurology program allows three fellowship-trained vascular neurologists to virtually consult and round daily on hospital patients with any general neurological problems – ranging from headaches to seizures to dementia to meningitis. This allows our hospitalist and critical care physicians to partner with highly-trained experts in neurology for real-time evaluation and consultation. With the addition of these programs, patients across the WakeMed system will now have access to electro-encephalogram (EEG) testing. An EEG is one of several tests used to monitor the brain activity following any changes in neurological status.

“Adding these comprehensive neurology services across our continuum of care is just one way we are growing to meet the needs of our community,” commented Larissa Hill, executive director of WakeMed Neurosciences.

These telestroke and teleneurology services come on the heels of other advances in stroke care at WakeMed, including the announcement of our innovative, patient-focused collaboration with Siemens Healthineers that brings new diagnostic capabilities, interventional tools and state-of-the-art imaging equipment – like the new ARTIS icono biplane at WakeMed Raleigh Campus. Another example is the recent addition of mechanical thrombectomy at WakeMed Cary Hospital – a life-saving procedure using a biplane to manually remove a blood clot from a vein or artery in patients with emergent stroke cases.

Home to two Joint Commission-certified primary stroke centers, WakeMed provides 24/7 specialized, high-quality care to stroke patients. WakeMed has also been awarded top honors from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for successfully implementing a higher standard of care for stroke patients. Additionally, WakeMed Raleigh Campus and Cary Hospital are recipients of the Healthgrades 2021 Specialty Excellence Awards, recognized for Stroke Care and named among the 100 best U.S. hospitals for this specialty.

Learn why WakeMed is the choice for optimal stroke care.

About WakeMed Health & Hospitals

Serving the community since 1961, WakeMed is a not-for-profit health care system founded and based in Raleigh, N.C. WakeMed exists to improve the health and well-being of our community by providing outstanding and compassionate care to all. WakeMed’s 941-bed system comprises a network of facilities throughout the Triangle area, including three full-service hospitals, seven emergency departments, a dedicated Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital, more than 80 physician offices and Wake County’s only Level I Trauma Center. WakeMed’s mission-driven team includes more than 9,800 employees, 1,500 volunteers, 1,300 affiliated physicians and 525 employed physicians, representing the best minds and the biggest hearts and the finest quality in health care and community health. For more information, visit wakemed.org.

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