This telestroke partnership
will save time and save lives
SAN JOAQUIN COMMUNITY
HOSPITAL (SJCH)
has launched a
state-of-the-art telestroke program
that will save time and lives by
extending immediate access to
SJCH’s award-winning Primary
Stroke Center to two Kern County
hospitals: Delano Regional Medical
Center and Ridgecrest Regional
Hospital.
The partnership means care-
givers at these outlying facili-
ties—the largest rural hospitals in
Kern County—can now instantly
consult in real time with physi-
cians from SJCH’s Brain and Spine
Institute.
“In all neurological health issues,
time is extremely critical—the
faster a patient receives proper
treatment, the better the chances
for recovery,” said Doug Duffield,
President and CEO at SJCH. “With
the launch of SJCH’s telestroke
network, our team of experts can
provide rapid evaluations and
treatment recommendations in a
matter of minutes. In many cases,
this will allow patients to remain
in their home community and still
receive a high level of care.”
Delano Regional Medical Center
and Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
have agreed to consult with spe-
cialists from SJCH’s Brain and Spine
Institute via videoconferencing and
image sharing technology. By es-
tablishing this type of telemedicine
link, doctors can examine patients
at hospitals miles away to help
diagnose the condition and recom-
mend a plan of care.
Making a difference together
“This community deserves the
best care we can help provide,”
said Bahram Ghaffari, President of
Delano Regional Medical Center,
located about 30 miles north of
Bakersfield. “The relationship
between our hospitals in bringing
this telestroke program to Delano
will make a real difference in the
lives of many people.”
Ridgecrest Regional
Hospital CEO Jim Suver
agreed, adding that the
telestroke partnership
with SJCH is a natural
fit with Ridgecrest
Regional Hospital’s
goal to provide the highest quality
health care to the eastern part of
Kern County, about 100 miles east
of Bakersfield.
“We are very happy to part-
ner with SJCH for this telestroke
program,” Suver said. “Tapping
into the expertise that can help
our team save lives in our com-
munity of Ridgecrest is a true
win-win. At the heart of Ridgecrest
Regional Hospital’s health care
is the balance of two qualities:
Clinical excellence and the sense of
belonging. Partnering with other
hospitals in Kern County with
these same values will allow us to
provide the highest quality care for
our patients.”
How it works
Doctors at SJCH will use one-on-
one audiovisual consultations 24/7
with the medical staff and patients
our experts
Doctors can examine patients
at hospitals miles away to help
diagnose the condition and
recommend a plan of care.
in the emergency rooms at the
partner hospitals. Patients’ imag-
ing results are securely shared, and
patients can then be transferred
to SJCH for a higher level of care if
they need it.
In fact, a new One-Call Transfer
Center has been established at
SJCH, providing an easy and ef-
ficient direct admission process
for patients coming from physi-
cian offices, clinics, urgent care
centers and emergency rooms.
About telestroke
In the United States, stroke is the
fourth leading cause of death. Each
year, stroke occurs in more than
700,000 patients, leaving many
with disabilities and unable to
resume their previous lifestyle or
employment.
According to the American
Stroke Association (ASA), a new
scientific statement says a remote
exam using high-quality videocon-
ferencing equipment is as effective
as a bedside stroke evaluation.
It is estimated that 80 percent
of all strokes are ischemic strokes,
in which a blood clot, formed in
another part of the body, travels to
a smaller blood vessel in the brain
and becomes lodged, blocking
blood flow to that area.
One form of treatment is to
administer a clot-busting drug
called a tissue plasminogen
activator (TPA). Physicians must
quickly evaluate stroke patients to
determine if they are eligible for
time-sensitive treatment such as
TPA that can save brain function
and reduce disability. Stroke and
brain imaging specialists are often
required to perform the evaluation.
However, the United States has an
average of only four neurologists
per 100,000 people, and not all of
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