ROWLETT, Texas – May 8, 2008 – Stroke victims in the service area of Lake Pointe Medical Center will soon get speedier life-saving treatment thanks to a new partnership Lake Pointe Medical Center has formed with Specialists On Call (SOC), Inc., giving its Emergency Room doctors access to quality neurology expertise.
The Teleneurology Service provided by Specialists On Call (SOC), Inc. enables LPMC’s Emergency Department (ED) 24/7/365 access to a critical care neurologist, who is able to consult with the patient and patients’ family, view the patients’ CT scans and consult with the ED physician to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
“This partnership will allow our Emergency Department physicians access to a critical care neurologist to assist in the rapid diagnosis and treatment of a patient experiencing the symptoms of an acute stroke” said Dr. David French, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Lake Pointe Medical Center. “As the local population continues to grow, we are constantly looking for opportunities to enhance our emergency response to the needs of the community by providing access to high-quality, potentially life-saving technology. Our partnership with SOC will enhance our care of patients presenting in the early stages of an acute stroke, saving them critical minutes in the treatment process.”
“Speedy access to diagnosis and treatment can mean the difference between life and death, “said Dr. Colin McDonald, Founder and Chief Medical Director for SOC. “Because a stroke victims’ recovery rate is determined by how quickly he or she receives treatment, the most critical thing is to get to the hospital fast, get your CT scan done and get the treatment required.”
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. with over 700,000 Americans experiencing one each year. Stroke is also the leading cause of disability in the U.S. with more than 1.1 million people impaired nationwide. Warning signs include:
• Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side
• Severe headache
• Dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Difficulty speaking, understanding speech, seeing or walking
ABOUT LAKE POINTE MEDICAL CENTER
Lake Pointe Medical Center, a part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, is a 112-bed acute care hospital located at 6800 Scenic Drive in Rowlett. Lake Pointe Medical Center has been serving the residents of Rockwall, Rowlett, Royse City and the surrounding communities since 1987. The hospital provides a wide spectrum of medical services, including an emergency department with Fast Track services, a 14-bed intensive care unit, women's services, a Level II Neonatal Nursery, diagnostic imaging, eight operating rooms and telemetry. Lake Pointe Medical Center also provides a number of specialty services, including cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, neurology, orthopedics, gastroenterology, oncology, infectious disease, general surgery, spine surgery, thoracic surgery, ear nose and throat, pulmonary medicine, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and neonatal services. Lake Pointe also offers wound care, sleep medicine, physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as pulmonary rehabilitation. The Lake Pointe Urgent Care Center in Rockwall provides quick, convenient care for minor emergencies and illness. The Lake Pointe Imaging Center in Rockwall provides extended imaging services to the community. The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency, licensed by the state of Texas and certified for participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. To learn more about Lake Pointe Medical Center, visit www.lakepointemedical.com.
About Specialists On Call (SOC), Inc.
Specialists On Call, Inc., (SOC) (formerly Brain Saving Technologies), provides solutions for the shortage of specialist physicians, and is the commercial pioneer in the provision of specialist physician consultations by videoconferencing. With operational bases in Boston and Los Angeles, SOC is the only freestanding JCAHO accredited telemedicine company, and provides the services of premier neurologists to hospitals in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida and Texas, soon in Oklahoma, Illinois and other states, including HCA, Universal Health and Tenet Hospitals. SOC’s services provide on-call specialist physician coverage at a competitive price to hospitals who lack adequate or any on-call neurology coverage, while relieving local physicians of undesirable on-call responsibilities. Patients, hospitals, medical and ED staff, and payers all benefit from SOC’s ability to include a specialist physician’s input in emergency care. For more information please visit http://www.specialistsoncall.com or contact us at 781-239-7580.
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