SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — UC Health has launched the region's first mobile stroke unit. The unit acts as an ambulance specifically for patients dealing with a stroke.
The unit is staffed with medical personnel capable of treating a potential stroke patient, similar to the way patients are treated in an emergency room. The medical unit will assess the situation and perform a CT scan if necessary to search for blockages. Dr. Christopher Richards, director of the mobile stroke unit, said the diagnosis and treatment can happen all in one place.
"At that point, if we know that the stroke is caused by blockage in an artery, we can give a clot-busting medication right here while the ambulance is still right outside the patient's house,” Richards said.
In addition to equipment and medication, the staff on the mobile unit can also consult virtually with the stroke team back at UC Medical Center, using an onboard iPad. The unit travels within about a 15-minute radius of the Springfield Township fire station on Winton Road.
The symptoms of stroke include facial drooping, weakness in the arm and slurred or trouble speaking.
