Technology and Data are Key to Transforming Stroke Care [TED Talk]

Dr. Brijesh Mehta is a Neurointerventional Surgeon, currently practicing at Memorial Neuroscience Center in Hollywood, FL. He recently gave a TED talk describing how his teams have leveraged new research, technology, and data to improve stroke care and give patients better outcomes. 

In the talk, Dr. Mehta describes how large vessel occlusion stroke (LVO) is "like a wildfire in the brain." He also says there used to be little we could do to stop the devastating effects, but now, thanks to new technologies and procedures such as thrombectomy, patients are regaining functionality and leaving the hospital much sooner than they had in the past.

Another way that Dr. Mehta and his teams have improved quality and reduced time to treatment for stroke is to work with EMS crews to more quickly and accurately identify LVO stroke patients in the field, and then route them to the most appropriate facility. He points out that were a trauma patient to be taken to a facility not capable of providing the level of care needed, we would think it was an outrage. Similarly, LVO stroke patients need to go directly to a comprehensive stroke center but, often, they are taken to another facility first and then must be quickly transferred. 

"Technology ... is what is going to get us to the next level [of stroke care]," Mehta says. For example, EMS having the ability to enter data on a smart phone, and immediately transfer all that information to all key players at the hospital so they can then instantly activate the cath lab is crucial. 

"What we wanted to do is empower EMS with data, so that they can make the right decision every time for their stroke patient," Mehta says. Learn more about how Dr. Mehta and his teams are revolutionizing stroke care in the TED talk below.