It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words and that during an emergency, every second counts. Now, pictures and video using telemedicine technology are improving emergency responses in rural hospital Emergency Departments.

Emergency telemedicine connects patients and emergency providers from two or more locations. Doctors with special training are able to remotely evaluate patients, make diagnoses, and provide support and treatment recommendations to community emergency providers at the rural hospital. Doctors communicate using digital video cameras, internet telecommunications, robotic telepresence, mobile devices and other technologies.

Emergency telemedicine frequently is used to evaluate and treat patients who have had a stroke. Telestroke increases the possibility that these patients may receive clot-dissolving therapies (thrombolytics) or other clot-retrieving procedures in time to reduce disability and death resulting from stroke.

The signals sent between locations are encrypted so transmissions are secure and private in compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy regulations.