The vehicle is staffed by a specialized team of two paramedics from the Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of New York City, a computed tomography technologist and a neurologist. It is outfitted with equipment and medications needed to diagnose and treat strokes, including a wireless CT scanner. The CT scan is electronically transmitted to NewYork-Presbyterian, where a neurologist evaluates the image.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!
Through the partnership with the FDNY, the city’s 911 system will deploy the MSTU into neighborhoods around NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center if a patient is experiencing stroke symptoms.
“The most effective method in saving a stroke victim’s life is to diagnose and treat immediately after a stroke occurs,” said Matthew Fink, MD, a neurologist and head of Weill Cornell Medical Center’s stroke division. “The MSTU rapidly brings a neurologist and advanced technologies of an emergency room directly to the patient, offering state-of-the-art care that is only moments away. This is just the beginning — there will be a number of innovative clinical treatments that we will be developing in the future for the treatment of stroke in the field.”
More articles on strokes:
Certain blood pressure meds tied to increased risk of severe mood disorders
How clinical decision support systems reduce medical errors and misdiagnoses
Study shows race, geography barriers for effective stroke treatment
