Hertfordshire stroke patients receive faster care via FaceTime

A rapid, remote video assessment system which uses Apple’s FaceTime for online triage has helped more than 170 stroke patients across Hertfordshire in its first year of operation.

The video triage system at Watford General Hospital links ambulance crews to a hospital stroke specialist via a tablet so they can assess suspected stroke patients.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Watford General, partnered with the region’s ambulance service – East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust – to launch the pilot video assessment programme at Watford General Hospital in December 2023.

Brittany Wells, clinical lead (stroke video triage) at the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “Stroke video triage is a huge success at Watford General Hospital.

“Since implementation, we have seen a 17-minute reduction in the time from the patient arriving at hospital to being treated with clot-busting medication.

“The success of stroke video triage at Watford is testament to the dedication and hard work of the ambulance crews and in-hospital teams who have been so engaged with this new process.”

The remote assessment – which is nurse led – ensures specialists can request imaging and tests before the patient’s arrival and patients are taken to the right place, first time for treatment, sidestepping assessment in the emergency department. This prompt access to imaging and earlier treatment leads to improved patient outcomes.

Since its launch, more than 170 patients have been assessed by video triage, with 99% of stroke patients scanned within an hour of arrival, up from 80% before implementation and, on average, 40 minutes more quickly than before.

Karyn Butchard, lead stroke nurse specialist and clinical lead for the project, said: “Getting a specialist assessment before arriving at the hospital allows suspected stroke patients to receive imaging right away when they arrive at Watford General, speeding up their access to critical stroke treatments.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust also announced plans to begin a trial in September 2024 of a video triage scheme which will enable rapid assessment of stroke patients.

Meanwhile, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust introduced AI technology from University of Oxford spin-out Brainomix in July 2024, with the aim of delivering faster and more accurate diagnoses of strokes.

NHS England launched the ‘Act FAST’ campaign in November 2024, to increase knowledge of the signs of a stroke and encourage people to dial 999 immediately in response to any sign.