In addition, the increased use of living donor kidneys can reduce costs, since those kidneys tend to function better right after the transplant than those from cadaver donors. The linkage is made possible through the combined efforts of the medical center, St. Mary's Hospital and Bell Atlantic. The system allows stroke patients and their emergency department doctors at St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown to see and speak with University of Maryland stroke specialists in Baltimore, more than two hours away. The new telemedicine system is believed to be the first in the United States to evaluate stroke patients in real time using interactive, two-way audio and video communication. The clot-busting drug TPA must be given within three hours after stroke symptoms begin, so we have to act quickly in order to prevent severe disability.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
It is also the second leading cause of death among women and the number-one cause of adult disability. Bell Atlantic helped provide funding for the project. Each location is equipped with video cameras, television monitors and specialized computer software. The clarity of the images is so good that a consulting doctor at a remote location can see the dilation of a patient's pupils. In addition, the system has the capacity to transmit a patient's CT scan to stroke specialists for consultation.