“Outpatient follow-up after acute stroke plays a signifcant role in optimizing patient care, secondary stroke prevention and reducing morbidity and mortality. As the risk of recurrent stroke is highest within the first six months following stroke, prompt outpatient follow-up is essential for secondary prevention of future complications and minimizing the risk of hospital readmission. Outpatient in-person follow-up represents one strategy. However, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted medical delivery in various specialties, including continuity of care. Telemedicine provides an alternative strategy to evaluate and treat patients after discharge.”

“We found that patients who used teleneurology for follow-up (vs no follow-up) were more likely to be discharged from CSC than PSCs, have private insurance vs Medicare, present to hospital through private transport/taxi (vs EMS or transfer from other hospital), have a history of dyslipidemia, have NIHSS 0-5, receive intraarterial alteplase or thrombectomy, receive antidepressant at discharge and discharge to home. In-person visits (vs no follow-up) were more common among those discharged from CSC, those with family history of stroke, NIHSS 0-5, those ambulating independently with or without device or ambulation with assistance of a person.”

Alabyad, D., et al (2023). Telemedicine impact on post-stroke outpatient follow-up in an academic healthcare network during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 32(8),