STEMO: The Specialized Stroke Ambulance is a reality in Berlin
STEMO is a principally new stroke care concept, that has closed previous gaps in stroke care practice with the help of specially developed telemedicine solutions and optimization of the care processes. The central objective is to optimize the treatment of acute stroke patients in metropolitan environments, especially for the benefit of the patient. The central idea of STEMO solution is to bring forward the expensive diagnostic and therapeutic measures from the clinical / inpatient (stroke unit / neurology department) in the pre-hospital / mobile-ambulance sector (STEMO vehicle). The engineers of the project consortium STEMO have created a full size emergency vehicle with an integrated mobile computer tomograph (CT), providing teleradiology diagnostics, modern laboratory equipment, electronic treatment documentation and telemedical networking. The overall solution is the result of the collaboration with Charité University Medical Center Berlin, Berlin Fire Department, MEYTEC GmbH Information System and Thermo Fisher Scietific BRAHMS biomarker.
The supply concept STEMO, embodies modern technology and telemedicine solutions that meet the most stringent standards of the rescue service. The success of STEMO is not only confirmed with the results of the associated clinical trial PHANTOM-S (pre-hospital acute neurological therapy and optimization of medical care in stroke patients), but also the positive response from the real emergency missions.
The key results of the PHANTOM-S trial with more than 7.000 enrolled patients show that the lysis rate in the Berlin area has been raised by 50% within the 21 months, while starting the thrombolytic therapy directly in STEMO rescue vehicle with special equipment, the patient is then transported to the appropriate acute center. The treatment rate of stroke patients has been raised from 21 to 31%. Comparing the care of stroke patients in the STEMO supply concept with the supply on the usual supply route, the patients were treated 25 minutes earlier with STEMO. The special rescue algorithm increases the recognition rate of strokes directly from the emergency call center to 53% (hit ratio 60%).
A specially trained three-man team has at their disposal the most advanced laboratory technology, teleradiology applications and a mobile CT scanner in the treatment room of STEMO unit. The mobile treatment room with the CT scanner is shielded from X-rays, so that both the team and the people outside of the mobile treatment room are protected from any radiation.
The use and assimilation of the stroke care concept STEMO, is accompanied by the close cooperation with the experts from the Charité Berlin. Different modifications of the STEMO solution can be directly purchased as VIMED® STEMO from MEYTEC GmbH Medizinsysteme.