Diabetic Nephropathy Screening in a Residency Clinic: Improvements Also Reveal Limits of Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Metric.

Quality Improvement Success Stories are published by the American Diabetes Association in collaboration with the American College of Physicians, Inc., and the National Diabetes Education Program. This series is intended to highlight best practices and strategies from programs and clinics that have successfully improved the quality of care for people with diabetes or related conditions.

A low-cost, tablet-based option for prehospital neurologic assessment: The iTREAT Study.

Objectives: In this 2-center study, we assessed the technical feasibility and reliability of a low cost, tablet-based mobile telestroke option for ambulance transport and hypothesized that the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) could be performed with similar reliability between remote and bedside examinations.

Methods: We piloted our mobile telemedicine system in 2 geographic regions, central Virginia and the San Francisco Bay Area, utilizing commercial cellular networks for videoconferencing transmission. Standardized patients portrayed scripted stroke scenarios during ambulance transport and were evaluated by independent raters comparing bedside to remote mobile telestroke assessments.

Mobile Telestroke During Ambulance Transport Is Feasible in a Rural EMS Setting: The iTREAT Study.

Background: The use of telemedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke, or telestroke, is a well-accepted method of practice improving geographic disparities in timely access to neurological expertise. We propose that mobile telestroke assessment during ambulance transport is feasible using low-cost, widely available technology.

Materials And Methods: We designed a platform including a tablet-based end point, high-speed modem with commercial wireless access, external antennae, and portable mounting apparatus.