Sevaro = Simple: 4 Step Hospital Implementation

June 30, 2022

A team of providers teaming up together

At Sevaro, we ensure the smoothest hospital implementation process to help our partner’s medical staff receive the specialized support they need for optimal patient outcomes. Much like no two patients are the same, no two hospitals are the same, so we customize our onboarding process to each new partner.

Specialized stroke care remains a prioritized concern among healthcare providers. Stroke-related deaths have continued to rise in the last three decades, yet the ASA (American Stroke Association) notes that 80% of stroke cases are preventable.

Through game-changing telemedicine technology like Sevaro OneCall™, Sevaro offers swift emergent care for acute neurology patients. However, to have Sevaro’s time and life-saving support system in place, it is necessary to guide hospital staff through a learning process.

Therefore, our team has developed a structured approach that aligns seasoned, boarded vascular neurologists with on-site staff from the earliest stages of implementation.

Sevaro’s Implementation Process

The multidisciplinary team within a hospital needs to stay in lock-step alignment for the smoothest implementation to occur Sevaro begins by grouping on-site teams together to gather a thorough understanding of the standard workflows and practices within the hospital.

Step 1 – Meeting the Team

Our service team plans a meeting with hospital staff (including clinical, organizational, and administrative staff managing the OneCall service) to learn more about how things are done and identify where Sevaro can supplement existing processes. Both teams will collaborate to develop a detailed implementation roadmap.

Sevaro signs a Master Service Agreement with the hospital team once all parties clarify their respective roles, liabilities, and responsibilities with the implementation. Timelines (i.e., product activation), budgets, and other resources are shared to help collaborators stay on target. Goal alignments are the highlight of the initial step.

Step 2 – Licensing and Credentialing

Sevaro collaborates with the hospital team to assess and confirm the medical license and expertise of a small team of specialists assigned to the house staff. The hospital’s Management Services Organization (MSO) compiles the professional information for licensed accreditation.

The authentication process includes clinical performances and the scope of approved patient care services.

Step 3 – Clarifying Procedures

We ensure that the Sevaro team works seamlessly with the hospital staff by organizing in-person site visits. Our team will learn more about hospital systems, and establish rapport and cultivate relationships with the hospital staff so we learn how we best work together as a team.

As part of the process, a member of the Sevaro team will work with the ED (emergency department) to discover the protocols and methods of improving the implementation accordingly. Through real-time observations and collaboration, our team establishes realistic responses with hospital staff.

Step 4 – Mock Consultations and Beyond

Sevaro conducts mock consultations before going live to fine-tune systems and minimize errors through realistic scenarios. Specifically, Sevaro technicians will be on-site at the hospital to test OneCall and Synapse 2.0, our voice-activated medical record that allows physicians to receive the information necessary to make rapid treatment calls. The mock-up phase usually takes between one to two weeks as hospital teams navigate the Sevaro system to fine-tune their telemedicine response.

While the entire implementation process may last between 90-120 days, Sevaro maintains consistent check-ins throughout the process to ensure that all systems are operating with maximum efficiency.

How Does Sevaro Simplify the Process?

Our team prioritizes clear communications from day one. We initiate transparent discussions with hospital teams to set realistic expectations before each teleneurology implementation. As such, we recognize the specific challenges faced by our partners and identify the most suitable solutions according to their unique needs to facilitate the most prompt and timely responses.

Sevaro’s team is always willing to educate doctors, nurses, and hospital staff on best practices, based on accrued on-the-ground experience from past collaborations. With open communication, we will help teams collaborate with a frictionless arrangement that optimizes the Sevaro experience.

A key differentiator about Sevaro is that we provide a small team of top vascular neurologists (usually comprised of 12 doctors or less) with the experience and expertise to offer the highest level of patient care and treatment through specialized communication.

Rather than disrupting current hospital workflow and practices, Sevaro seeks to learn and become a part of an existing system. Our versatile team operates with a tech-agnostic approach, ready to work with the technology provided by hospitals and to document in their EMR. Partners can expect minimal onboarding, and reliable support when required.

Sevaro’s goal is to establish lasting professional relationships with healthcare staff and to help deliver consistent and high-quality telemedicine service across every hospital setting.

Why Partner with Sevaro

Sevaro is a physician-led company that continues to improve telestroke responses and patient outcomes with evidence-based care. The Montana Hospital Association (MHA) recently named Sevaro as their preferred stroke care and management vendor.

Our team remains highly dedicated to supporting hospitals with the specialization in responding to time-sensitive stroke emergencies. Research shows that Sevaro reduces acute neuro-transfer rates by as much as 90%, DTN (door-to-needle) time by as much as 50%, and in-patient LoS (length of stay) by up to 25%.

We will differentiate and expand your hospital’s care services. By partnering with Sevaro, your healthcare organization can look forward to optimized 24/7 telestroke and inpatient teleneurology assistance that delivers the best patient outcomes. Choose Sevaro as your trusted teleneurology partner today.

A Regional Medical Center Partnership in Florida

Telestroke Response in the Emergency Room: Connecting with the Vascular Neurologist

Hospital Background

A Regional Medical Center with a 235-bed acute care hospital that prides its organization on the “Tradition of Quality.” Accredited by the Joint Commission, they have provided services to their region of Florida since 1986. In 2019, the hospital served approximately 51,000 patients.

The hospital has utilized Sevaro as their preferred telestroke provider since January 2020. The partnership began in collaboration to help care for their acute neurological patients.

In 2021, the hospital received the DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification, the highest level of achievement for stroke certifications. This accreditation confirms that the hospital provides the highest quality care from clinical guidelines established through evidence-based research and practice.

Industry Background

  • Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke [1]. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes [1]. Out of those, 87% are acute ischemic strokes (AIS) caused due to a lack of blood flow to the brain tissue [1].
  • Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the second-leading cause of mortality worldwide [1]. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) which can be administered to AIS patients within 4.5 hours from the last known well (lkw) has shown benefit [2,3].
  • Shorter door-to-needle times (DTN’s) have been shown to reduce morbidity, mortality, and adverse events such as intracranial hemorrhages [2,4].
  • Even though tPA has shown a clear benefit, only a small percentage of acute ischemic stroke patients receive this treatment [9,10,11]. The most common reason has been the arrival of the patient to the hospital after symptom onset. The supply of neurologists, although ensuing an upward trend, the demand-supply ratio is trending up (12).
  • Specialized neurological evaluation of AIS patients has been shown to reduce the length of hospital stay (13). In institutions where local stroke expertise is not available, accumulating data suggest that tPA treatment can be performed safely and effectively via telestroke [14].
 

The Partnership

“The partnership with Sevaro has been an extremely successful relationship for our team. Their rapid response to our emergency calls has made them stand out from the competition. Having worked with multiple different teleneurology companies over the years, it has been a pleasure to work with such a responsive, collaborative, professional group of people.

In conjunction with our stroke program, using technology such as Viz AI jointly with Sevaro keeps us on the cutting edge of stroke care and rapidly treating stroke patients.”

-Hospital Chief of Staff

A Regional Medical Center has partnered with Sevaro since January 2020 to provide acute neurology care for their patients. A premium comprehensive stroke center, they had a solid process in place before partnering with Sevaro. Even so, their average door-to-tPA administration time was 46 minutes from January 2020 – November 2020. The utilization of tPA during that time was 26%.

Even though their 46-minute average was better than most hospitals in the U.S., there was still room for improvement. To meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification through the DNV, one must administer tPA within 60 minutes at least 75% of the time and within 45 minutes at least 50% of the time. At that moment, the hospital and Sevaro’s leadership decided to change the acute stroke protocol for the emergency room.

The Process & Solution

Sevaro has a team of boarded, seasoned vascular neurologists and medical technology experts that have worked in over 100 hospitals across the country. Sevaro’s experienced and collaborative team allowed the best practice and standards of care to help drive faster and more efficient care by integrating the clinical necessities with the highest quality technology.

Sevaro is committed to data-driven neuroscience, high-priority care, and works with each of their partner hospitals to refine the process to deliver results.

After the initial analysis of the process, the hospital and Sevaro collaborated to identify areas for improvement.and immediately implemented the following protocols for improved patient care.

The Result

The following is the data after the implementation of this new process (January 2021 – October 2021)

  • Average door-to-needle time of 37 minutes, with the record DTN being 21 minutes
  • 22% reduction in door-to-needle times
  • tPA utilization of 38%
  • 12% increase of tPA utilization before implementation of the new process
  • Faster identification of LVO (large vessel occlusion) patients and notification to neuro interventionalist

For every stroke code, the hospital provider was able to talk to a Sevaro vascular neurologist within 45 seconds.

Summary

After a successful implementation of the Sevaro date-driven evaluation process at the hospital, the results were:

  • Enhanced communication between the ED staff and Sevaro vascular neurologist (45 seconds or less)
  • Faster DTNs
  • Increased tPA utilization
  • More timely identification of LVO patients.

The hospital was asked to present at the National Emergency Conference for its exceptional stroke process improvement as one of the top six hospitals in the country.

They credit their partnership with Sevaro as critical to enabling them to emerge as a contender for recognition as one of the top hospitals in the Nation.

Appendix

  • Virani SS, Alonso A, Benjamin EJ, Bittencourt MS, Callaway CW, Carson AP, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2020 update: a report from the American Heart Association external icon. Circulation. 2020;141(9):e139–e596.
  • Saver JL et al. Time of treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and outcome from acute ischemic stroke. JAMA. 2013;309(23):2480-2488.
  • Mitka M. Early treatment of ischemic stroke with intravenous tPA reduces risk. JAMA.2013;310(11):1111.
  • Meretoja A et al. Stroke thrombolysis: Save a minute, save a day. Stroke. 2014;45(4):1053-1058.
  • Nogueira RG et al. Thrombectomy 6 to 24 hours after stroke with a mismatch between deficit and infarct. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;378(1):11-21
  • Albers GW et al. Thrombectomy for stroke at 6 to 16 hours with selection perfusion imaging. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;378(8):708-718.
  • Berkhemer OA et al. A randomized trial of intraarterial treatment for acute ischemic stroke. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2015;372:11-20.
  • Jovin TG et al. Thrombectomy within 8 hours after symptoms onset in ischemic stroke. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2015;372(24):2296-2306.
  • Fang MC, Cutler DM, Rosen AB. Trends in thrombolytics use for ischemic stroke in the United States. Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2010;(7):406-409.
  • Katzan IL et al. Utilization of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke. Archives of Neurology. 2004;61(3):346-350
  • Adeoyle O et al. Recombinant tusse-type plasminogen activator use for ischemic stroke in the United States: A doubling of treatment rates over the course of 5 years. Stroke. 2011;42(7):1952-1955.
  • Burton A. How do we fix the shortage of neurologists? Lancet Neurol. (2018)17:502-3. Doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30143-1.
  • Freeman WD wt al. Neurohospitalists reduce length of stay for patients with ischemic stroke. Neurohospitalist. (2011) 1:67-70. Doi: 10.1177/1941875210394202
  • Kepplinger J et al. Safety and efficacy of thrombolysis in tele stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurology. 2016 Sep 27;87(13):1344-51. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000003148

Ready to see what a partnership with Sevaro can do for your hospital?

Schedule a demo or give us a call today!

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    The Sevaro Physician Difference – Neurology And Vascular Neurology Board Certifications

    June 7, 2022

    Elevating Stroke Care and Neurology Services

    The physicians at Sevaro bring inherent value to differentiate neurology and vascular neurology & expand the care your hospital is seeking in Emergent Stroke Care, General Neurology, and EEG Reads.

    At Sevaro, we bring a distinctive value to hospitals seeking advanced stroke care, general neurology, and EEG reads. Our physicians are not only dedicated to the field of neuroscience but also possess deep experience that spans from their work at some of the country’s most prestigious Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) and Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSCs).

    Expertise Built on Experience at Top Institutions

    Sevaro’s neurologists and vascular neurologists are distinguished by their board certifications and their extensive experience in working with top-tier AMCs and CSCs across the United States. These aren’t just qualifications that were earned during training or fellowships; they represent active, hands-on experience that continues today.

    Why does this matter?

    • Reduced Mortality Rates: Research shows that experience in AMCs can reduce mortality rates. Sevaro’s team has honed their expertise at these leading institutions, bringing that knowledge to every patient they treat.
    • Innovators in Telehealth: Many of Sevaro’s physicians were pioneers in telehealth, telestroke, and teleneurology, helping to establish these models of care as critical components of modern stroke care.

    Sevaro’s doctors have been instrumental in building comprehensive stroke programs, utilizing telemedicine technology as a key component of patient care. Their work goes beyond theoretical knowledge; it’s rooted in years of practical application in the field.

    The Evolution of Telehealth in Stroke Care

    Teleneurology and telehealth have come a long way since their inception. In the mid to late 2000s, Sevaro’s physicians were among the first to integrate these innovative technologies into stroke care. Their experience in setting up and maturing telestroke programs at both Primary and Comprehensive Stroke Centers is invaluable to any hospital looking to build or enhance its own program.

    Key contributions by Sevaro physicians:

    • Introduction of Telehealth at PSC/CSC: Sevaro was at the forefront of introducing telehealth to stroke care, setting up virtual platforms that expanded access to neurologists, allowing hospitals to respond quickly and effectively to stroke emergencies.
    • Refinement of Processes: With a focus on continuous improvement, Sevaro physicians have developed and refined workflows, leveraging telemedicine to improve response times, reduce transfers, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.
    • Building Comprehensive Stroke Centers: Sevaro’s team has worked closely with over 17 CSCs nationwide, contributing to the development of some of the most successful stroke programs in the country.

    Sevaro’s Active Role in Reducing Mortality Rates

    Sevaro physicians continue to play an active role in stroke care at top Comprehensive Stroke Centers. Their experience and expertise translate into real-world results that benefit hospitals and patients alike. In addition to stroke care, their work encompasses a broad range of neurological services, including EEG reads, movement disorder treatments, and more.

    Sevaro’s physicians don’t just treat patients; they also work to improve hospital processes, ensuring that care is delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible.

    Advantages of working with Sevaro:

    • Comprehensive Knowledge of CSC/PSC Programs: Sevaro physicians have a deep understanding of what it takes to build, manage, and grow a Comprehensive Stroke Center. Their hands-on experience makes them ideal partners for hospitals looking to advance their stroke care programs.
    • Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Sevaro physicians are dedicated to refining hospital processes and introducing best practices that improve patient outcomes.
    • Collaboration with Hospital Staff: Sevaro physicians don’t work in isolation. They collaborate with hospital staff to ensure that care is delivered seamlessly, even in the most complex cases.

    Applying Best Practices Every Day

    At Sevaro, we take the lessons learned from years of experience at the top Comprehensive Stroke Centers and apply them to our care delivery every day. Whether it’s a complicated patient case, a process adjustment, or a system overhaul, Sevaro’s physicians have the expertise to make it happen.

    Our goal is to not only meet your hospital’s immediate needs but also to push the boundaries of what’s possible in neurological care.

    How Sevaro can benefit your hospital:

    • Implementation of Telehealth: Sevaro’s experience in introducing telehealth to stroke care can help your hospital build or enhance its own telestroke program.
    • Process Improvement: Sevaro physicians bring with them the best practices of top Comprehensive Stroke Centers, improving patient outcomes through continuous improvement.
    • Comprehensive Stroke Center Development: Sevaro can help your hospital take its stroke care program to the next level, whether you’re looking to become a Primary Stroke Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center, or simply improve your current processes.

    Why SOC 2 Matters to Sevaro

    Whether your hospital is just beginning its journey toward building a Comprehensive Stroke Center or you’re looking to improve an existing program, Sevaro has the expertise to help. With years of experience in developing, refining, and leading stroke programs at top institutions, Sevaro is the partner you need to advance your hospital’s stroke care.

    By integrating telehealth and best practices into your hospital’s care delivery, Sevaro can help you reduce mortality rates, improve patient outcomes, and deliver the highest quality of care.

    *References:
    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2627971 – Lower stroke mortality rates at AMCs

    Tenecteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke

    June 6, 2022

    Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant- Neurology

    Part Time

    Job Details

    Position title

    Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant- Neurology

    Shift Availability

    Part-time

    Comapny Vision

    Sevaro is a data-driven Teleneurology company bringing clinical quality, academic training, innovation, and modern technology to the market. Our compassion or “Seva” pushes us to serve others without expecting anything in return. Sevaro was designed for physicians, by physicians! We are vascular trained neurologists with experience at academic medical centers focused on creating stroke survivors.

    Position Highlights

    As a Nurse Practitioner in Neurology, you will support our Neurology Physicians in examining neurology patients virtually in the inpatient and outpatient setting using telemedicine technologies. This exciting opportunity offers the ability to provide best-in-class patient care with an extremely competitive pay and a flexible work life balance.

    Sevaro’s innovative solution allows our providers to achieve better patient outcomes. Sevaro values physician satisfaction and work-life balance. Our dynamic team creates an exciting culture that enables physicians to grow with the company.

    You don’t work for us
    you grow with us!

    Position Requirements

    • Excellent communication skills with a focus on physician-patient interaction
    • Comfortable with using audio/video technology, EMRs and PACs
    • Preference given for those with Teleneurology experience
    • Completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant program
    • Possess or able to obtain an unrestricted Medical License in any US State
      **Preference given to LA, AL, SC, KS, KY, AR, CA, TX, NY, NJ, FL, MI, IL, IN, MO, NC, TN, and GA licensed providers
    • Hospital-based Neurology and Stroke experience preferred

    Program Offering Includes

    • Competitive compensation package
    • Flexible scheduling
    • Incredibly collaborative work culture amongst physicians
    • Brand new laptop
    • Co-create digital health technologies
    • Participate in research and clinical trials
    • Guest speaker appearances
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