Upstate University Hospital to provide Ogdensburg hospital with stroke-treatment services

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate University Hospital has agreed to team up with Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center (CHMC) in Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County for the treatment of stroke symptoms.

CHMC’s emergency department will use a telemedicine program to connect its physicians with neurologists at Upstate’s “comprehensive stroke center.”

Upstate University Hospital in early 2015 earned certification as a “comprehensive stroke center” from Milford, Ohio–based DNV GL Healthcare Inc., a hospital-accreditation organization. The hospital is also recognized as a primary stroke center as designated by the New York State Department of Health.

When a patient arrives at CHMC’s emergency department with what the health-care team has determined are symptoms consistent with stroke, Claxton-Hepburn can consult with an Upstate neurologist.

Within minutes, the neurologist will be able to view the X-ray computed tomography (CT) scan, examine the patient, and talk with the patient, his or her family, and physician about possible treatment.

“We are excited to begin this partnership with Upstate to provide more advanced stroke care in our emergency department to our patients,” Nate Howell, CEO of Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, said in the Upstate release. “Now we are able to provide a quicker diagnosis, which decreases a potential delay in treatment. Thanks to this technology in the treatment of stroke patients, our rural location is less of a barrier to care.”

The addition of Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center brings to three the number of area hospitals that are partnering with Upstate University Hospital on stroke care.

“Through the use of telemedicine, our collaboration on stroke care with Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, River Hospital in Alexandria Bay and Carthage Area Hospital in Carthage broadens the reach of our formally designated comprehensive stroke center and enables us to partner with physicians across the state to enhance medical care for patients many miles from Upstate,” Dr. John McCabe, CEO of Upstate University Hospital, said. “We are grateful for these partnerships and for the work of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization [FDRHPO] in helping to deploy the equipment necessary to make these connections possible.”

Upstate has teamed up with FDRHPO, which deployed the telemedicine equipment to several North Country hospitals in an effort to expand the telemedicine network.

“Our telemedicine network allows the North Country access to expert stroke care regardless of geography,” Jennifer Schleier, registered nurse and program manager of Upstate’s Stroke Center, said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com