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You can either scroll through the pages below to find out more or use the 'Telemedicine Menu' to the right of this page for easier navigation from page to page. |
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Telemedicine refers to real-time consultation between a patient and a clinical adviser by way of video link, web cam or something similar. The benefits are that clinical decisions can be made quickly in situations where it would not be possible to get a patient to the clinician for example because of distance.
Click here if you would like more information on Telemedicine.
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An example of telemedicine in Moray is the remote diagnosis for thrombolysing stroke patients at Dr Grays Hospital.
Telestroke consultations at Dr Grays Hospital, Elgin
Since December 2008 Dr Grays hospital has been involved in a wider national pilot which offers quick and remote consultation by Teleconferencing, which in certain cases can lessen the effect of a stroke.
Approximately 80% of strokes are caused by a blockage to the blood supply to the brain. If diagnosed quickly, the use of clot-busting drugs can restore the blood supply quickly and lessen the damage from the stroke. These drugs have to be administered within three hours of the onset of the stroke which has traditionally presented a problem in more rural areas such as Moray.
Diagnosis of the feasibility of thrombolysis (clot-busting) usually requires a specialist to view the patient’s CT scan and carry out a face-to-face consultation. However, the use of teleconferencing allows the Accident and Emergency Department to hook up with specialists at the other end of the country if need be, in order to get the quick decision required in order to begin thrombolysis procedures, if appropriate.
The Telestroke Programme is being run by the Scottish Centre for Telehealth in Aberdeen and has been providing 24/7 telemedicine links from Dr Grays Hospital to the acute stroke unit in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with very positive results to date.
Further information can be found on the SCT website here www.sct.scot.nhs.uk |
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With time more things will happen – we are currently looking at having remote tele-consultation links between community and acute hospitals which will have the benefit of more remote dwellers of Moray having to travel to Elgin, Inverness or Aberdeen in certain cases. |
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Telemedicine
