The Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at CUHK and the Department of Health Technology and Informatics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have jointly introduced a unique telestroke system to facilitate neurologists’ distant assessment for thrombolysis during non-working hours. In May 2012, the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) launched a 24-hour thrombolysis service with this technology, since then, PWH has recorded a threefold increase in the number of stroke patients receiving thrombolysis. The telestroke system received the Elsevier Digital Healthcare Award from the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) in 2013.

Dr. Tang Fuk-hay (2nd right), associate head, Department of Health Technology and Informatics at PolyU, said, 'The result indicates that the telestroke system offers similar treatment efficacy and safety compared to on-site neurologists.' Dr. Thomas Leung (1st right), associate professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, CUHK, said, 'The telestroke system relieves the shortage of neurologists and greatly improves the health care service for stroke patients.'

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