Feasibility of AmbulanCe-Based Telemedicine (FACT) study: safety, feasibility and reliability of third generation in-ambulance telemedicine.

Background: Telemedicine is currently mainly applied as an in-hospital service, but this technology also holds potential to improve emergency care in the prehospital arena. We report on the safety, feasibility and reliability of in-ambulance teleconsultation using a telemedicine system of the third generation.

Methods: A routine ambulance was equipped with a system for real-time bidirectional audio-video communication, automated transmission of vital parameters, glycemia and electronic patient identification.

Prehospital unassisted assessment of stroke severity using telemedicine: a feasibility study.

Background And Purpose: We evaluated the feasibility and the reliability of remote stroke severity quantification in the prehospital setting using the Unassisted TeleStroke Scale (UTSS) via a telestroke ambulance system and a fourth-generation mobile network.

Methods: The technical feasibility and the reliability of the UTSS were studied in healthy volunteers mimicking 41 stroke syndromes during ambulance transportation.

Results: Except for 1 issue, high-quality telestroke assessment was feasible in all scenarios.

Prediction of hospitalization duration for acute stroke in Belgium.

We aim to predict the duration of hospitalization for acute stroke in Belgium by evaluating the external validity of the prolonged length of stay (PLOS) score and by formulating a new prediction score that may be better suited for the Belgian healthcare system. This single-center retrospective study is based on data collected prospectively from the departmental stroke registry. To validate the PLOS score, receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests were implemented.