During the COVID19 pandemic, some parts of England introduced prehospital triage interventions that let hospital-based stroke specialists use digital videoconferencing to communicate remotely with ambulance clinicians to assess suspected stroke patients. This study builds on the research team’s previous rapid service evaluation of prehospital triage in North Central London and East Kent which focused on safety, effectiveness, and usability.
The team are interviewing patients and carers; stroke, ambulance, and emergency teams; and service and system managers. They are also using NHS data to analyse: if more patients are taken to the right healthcare service; if more patients remain at home and avoid hospital admission; if patients (stroke and non-stroke) get the right care more quickly, and if there are any adverse effects of prehospital triage; how well patients do after their stroke; and if these interventions are good value for money.
For more information: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology-health-care/research/applied-health-research/research/health-care-organisation-and-management-group/photonic