ABSTRACT
Many nations face public health crises related to services required by aging populations. Stroke, a disease most prevalent in the aging population, is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide and is among the costliest. In the United States, recommendations for improving stroke services can be found through various vascular associations and, more recently, through the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals ( 1,2 ). However, healthcare providers face signifi cant challenges in enacting recommendations for stroke specialty services, and telemedicine has been explored as a means to surmount some of them. This chapter focuses on key research that involves telemedicine for stroke services, particularly those studies that provide the foundation for the future growth of the technology. We also summarize issues that impede more widespread use of this new technology and offer possible solutions.
