MADISON, Wis. – Edgerton Hospital is the latest member of the University of Wisconsin Telestroke Network, headquartered at University Hospital.

Starting immediately, Edgerton Hospital’s emergency department, 11101 N. Sherman Road, Edgerton, which is staffed by experienced physicians who specialize in emergency medicine, will be able to consult with stroke neurologists at the UW Comprehensive Stroke Center in Madison who can examine patients and their brain scans in real time online.

This can mean quicker, life-preserving treatment for patients who arrive at Edgerton Hospital’s emergency room experiencing stroke symptoms, according to Alison Hanaman, a registered nurse, and emergency department manager, Edgerton Hospital.

“This arrangement saves precious time for patients, and in stroke treatment, each minute equals brain cells saved,” she said.

A clot-breaking drug called alteplase needs to be given within three to four hours after the onset of an ischemic stroke, which is caused when a blood clot blocks blood vessels in the brain. Waiting too long to administer the drug can cause bleeding in the brain or death. Telestroke allows for the stroke neurologist to prescribe this medication quickly.

Telestroke reflects UW Health’s collaborative approach of expanding access to specialty care without duplicating services available at community hospitals.

This system means patients will be receiving the best possible care close to home, while having access to stroke specialists who are on call around the clock for consultations, according to Dr. Natalie Wheeler, medical director of the UW stroke program.

“UW Health is pleased to welcome Edgerton Hospital into our network,” she said. “Telestroke allows patients in any part of the state to get the same stroke assessment and treatment recommendations they could get at a comprehensive stroke center.”

UW Health’s University Hospital is one of the first certified comprehensive stroke centers in the country, meeting the comprehensive standards for Certified Stroke Centers that can treat multiple complex stroke cases at the same time while providing advanced imaging and treatment capabilities, specialists on staff around the clock, specially trained staff and physicians, and faculty engaged in stroke research.

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