Innovative technology set to transform stroke treatment nationwide
- Replies 2
Health risks can become more prominent as time passes, with some communities facing more significant challenges than others.
However, an innovation is emerging, promising to change how a critical medical condition is treated nationwide.
Experts believe this breakthrough could improve access to life-saving care, particularly in underserved areas. With advancements like this, the future of healthcare looks increasingly hopeful.
The Australian Stroke Alliance has been piloting a program that connects paramedics with on-call neurologists via an app named Zeus.
This innovative approach has been met with such success in regional trials that it's now poised for a national rollout in 2027, backed by a $15 million injection of federal government funding.
The Zeus app is a game-changer for stroke treatment, particularly in remote areas with limited access to specialist care.
By facilitating real-time consultations between paramedics and neurologists, the app ensures that patients like Garry Tierney, who suffered a stroke near Nowra in southern New South Wales, receive tailored care promptly.
Garry's partner, Kim Cooper, witnessed the terrifying ordeal as Garry displayed the classic signs of a stroke.
'It was at that moment that I just, sort of, went to pieces … and cried,' she said.
Thanks to the Zeus app, paramedics could quickly consult with a neurologist who directed them to a specialist stroke centre.
Within half an hour of receiving targeted treatment, Garry's condition had remarkably improved.
A month later, he was back to enjoying his caravanning lifestyle, grateful for the cutting-edge medical care that saved him from long-term disability.
The success stories emerging from the pilot program, which ran in the Liverpool and Hunter regions of New South Wales and central Victoria, are a testament to this technology's potential.
Over the next 12 months, the program will expand to parts of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and the Northern Territory to reach all Australians by 2027.
The need for such a program is underscored by the fact that individuals in regional areas are 17 per cent more likely to experience a stroke than their urban counterparts.
Paramedic Grant Hocking, who co-designed the pilot, highlights the lack of treatment options in remote regions as a significant factor and that the figures were concerning.
'But that's also impacted by the lack of treatment available at some remote [and] regional centres,' he said.
'Some strokes need definitive care.'
'What we're doing with this pilot is demonstrating that by having a more robust assessment and confirmation through the consultation with neurologists, we can prevent that delay and take patients straight to the appropriate hospital.'
The Zeus app aims to bridge this gap by quickly transporting patients to the appropriate hospital for their needed care.
Neurologist Geoffrey Donnan has called the pilot program a 'real breakthrough' for those in regional and remote areas, bringing the hospital to the patient.
'We all know that access to medical care in rural and regional Australia is sometimes challenging,' he said.
'What this technology does is basically bring the hospital to the patient.'
The benefits are not just medical but also economic. Preliminary data from Liverpool Hospital in Sydney shows a median time to treatment for stroke patients that is two hours faster than their five-year average.
The funding will also help equip paramedics with Australian-made portable brain scanners, which Professor Donnan hopes to see in ambulances within the next few years.
'It really does revolutionise the whole workflow,' he added.
'We have estimated that by 2035, for example, there will be about $154 billion worth of savings in health and economic benefit, which will return to the Australian people by adopting a more streamlined system.'
Australia is at the forefront of this research, and the national rollout of the Zeus app is a significant step towards ensuring that all Australians, no matter where they live, have access to the best possible stroke treatment.
We understand the importance of timely and adequate medical care at the Seniors Discount Club.
We're excited about the Zeus app's potential to save lives and improve outcomes for stroke patients across the country.
It's a reminder that when harnessed for good, technology can make a profound difference in our lives.
In other news, Garry Tierney suffered a stroke while driving on a busy road south of Sydney, but a series of fortunate events ensured his survival.
Two nearby paramedics came to his aid, assisting him and his partner, Kim Cooper, until a second ambulance arrived. He was then taken to the hospital, where he received swift treatment using the Zeus mobile app. You can read more about it here.
Have you or someone you know been affected by a stroke? How do you feel about the potential of technology to improve emergency medical care? Share your stories and opinions in the comments below.
However, an innovation is emerging, promising to change how a critical medical condition is treated nationwide.
Experts believe this breakthrough could improve access to life-saving care, particularly in underserved areas. With advancements like this, the future of healthcare looks increasingly hopeful.
The Australian Stroke Alliance has been piloting a program that connects paramedics with on-call neurologists via an app named Zeus.
This innovative approach has been met with such success in regional trials that it's now poised for a national rollout in 2027, backed by a $15 million injection of federal government funding.
The Zeus app is a game-changer for stroke treatment, particularly in remote areas with limited access to specialist care.
Stroke treatment app Zeus is set for a nationwide rollout in Australia by 2027 after successful trials. Credit: Prykhodov / iStock
By facilitating real-time consultations between paramedics and neurologists, the app ensures that patients like Garry Tierney, who suffered a stroke near Nowra in southern New South Wales, receive tailored care promptly.
Garry's partner, Kim Cooper, witnessed the terrifying ordeal as Garry displayed the classic signs of a stroke.
'It was at that moment that I just, sort of, went to pieces … and cried,' she said.
Thanks to the Zeus app, paramedics could quickly consult with a neurologist who directed them to a specialist stroke centre.
Within half an hour of receiving targeted treatment, Garry's condition had remarkably improved.
A month later, he was back to enjoying his caravanning lifestyle, grateful for the cutting-edge medical care that saved him from long-term disability.
The success stories emerging from the pilot program, which ran in the Liverpool and Hunter regions of New South Wales and central Victoria, are a testament to this technology's potential.
Over the next 12 months, the program will expand to parts of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and the Northern Territory to reach all Australians by 2027.
The need for such a program is underscored by the fact that individuals in regional areas are 17 per cent more likely to experience a stroke than their urban counterparts.
Paramedic Grant Hocking, who co-designed the pilot, highlights the lack of treatment options in remote regions as a significant factor and that the figures were concerning.
'But that's also impacted by the lack of treatment available at some remote [and] regional centres,' he said.
'Some strokes need definitive care.'
'What we're doing with this pilot is demonstrating that by having a more robust assessment and confirmation through the consultation with neurologists, we can prevent that delay and take patients straight to the appropriate hospital.'
The Zeus app aims to bridge this gap by quickly transporting patients to the appropriate hospital for their needed care.
Neurologist Geoffrey Donnan has called the pilot program a 'real breakthrough' for those in regional and remote areas, bringing the hospital to the patient.
'We all know that access to medical care in rural and regional Australia is sometimes challenging,' he said.
'What this technology does is basically bring the hospital to the patient.'
The benefits are not just medical but also economic. Preliminary data from Liverpool Hospital in Sydney shows a median time to treatment for stroke patients that is two hours faster than their five-year average.
The funding will also help equip paramedics with Australian-made portable brain scanners, which Professor Donnan hopes to see in ambulances within the next few years.
'It really does revolutionise the whole workflow,' he added.
'We have estimated that by 2035, for example, there will be about $154 billion worth of savings in health and economic benefit, which will return to the Australian people by adopting a more streamlined system.'
Australia is at the forefront of this research, and the national rollout of the Zeus app is a significant step towards ensuring that all Australians, no matter where they live, have access to the best possible stroke treatment.
We understand the importance of timely and adequate medical care at the Seniors Discount Club.
We're excited about the Zeus app's potential to save lives and improve outcomes for stroke patients across the country.
It's a reminder that when harnessed for good, technology can make a profound difference in our lives.
In other news, Garry Tierney suffered a stroke while driving on a busy road south of Sydney, but a series of fortunate events ensured his survival.
Two nearby paramedics came to his aid, assisting him and his partner, Kim Cooper, until a second ambulance arrived. He was then taken to the hospital, where he received swift treatment using the Zeus mobile app. You can read more about it here.
Last edited:
.png){kind=icon}
