Video streaming from ambulance can be life-changing for acute stroke patients.
Photographer: Magnus Andersson Hagiwara och Hanna Maurin Söderholm
Using video streaming and consultation in the ambulance, stroke patients can quickly and remotely be assessed by a neurologist and driven directly to the hospital that can provide them with the best care. To test and evaluate how a video-assisted decision support system can work in practice, realistic full-scale simulations were conducted in a study led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. The ambulances were equipped with three cameras that were connected to stroke specialists at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. The first camera focused on the patient’s face, so that an assessment of facial expressions, as well as head and eye movements could be made. The second camera was angled towards the side of the patient, to give a general overview and assess the ability to lift and hold up their arms. Finally, a third camera showed the patient's legs, to make a similar assessment as for the arms.
