Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton has partnered with UAB Medicine to bring a tele-critical care and tele-stroke unit to the residents of Chilton County.
The new programs will allow for remote consultation sessions between UAB specialists and patients at Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton.
The UAB tele-critical care staff will review the patients’ medical records, conduct virtual consults and speak with and assess the patient. After the consultation, they will work with the care team at Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton to review the assessment and provide treatment recommendations. UAB will continue to monitor the patient each day as needed while they remain in Ascension St. Vincent’s care.
“The tele-ICU program provides an extremely valuable service to our local community. We are able to bring the specialized knowledge of UAB critical care specialists to the bedside, providing the highest-quality care for critically ill patients,” said Dr. Sean Vanlandingham, chief medical officer, Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton.
When patients come to Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton emergency department presenting stroke-like symptoms, the team will utilize the tele-stroke program to request on-demand stroke consult. One of UAB’s responding neurologists will assess the patient using the NIH stroke scale and a physical exam, assisted by on-site emergency room physician or nurse. The neurologist will review the patient’s CT scans and provide recommendations based on their assessment. Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton will then provide inpatient treatment or transfer the patient, depending on the appropriate level of care that is needed.
