Logan Health Expands Neurological Access with Neurohospitalist Program
Logan Health Medical Center (LHMC) in Kalispell has recently launched a Neurohospitalist Program. With on-site availability for urgent evaluations and time-sensitive treatments, the Logan Health neurohospitalists are dedicated to providing and improving inpatient care. This team cares for hospitalized patients with a multitude of conditions, including headache, stroke, altered mental status, delirium, seizure disorders, and neuromuscular disorders.
Dr. Kurt Lindsay, vascular neurologist and director of Logan Health’s stroke and telestroke programs, describes how the addition of this service brings collaboration and continuity of care. “As our patients transition from the emergency department, through the hospital, and potentially to inpatient rehabilitation, our neurohospitalist team serves as their continuity. We collaborate with the patient, their family, and their entire care team, to ensure integrated and seamless care through each phase of their treatment and recovery.” Many neurohospitalists have additional subspecialty expertise, which makes this team uniquely situated to meet their patients’ general and subspecialty neurologic needs.
In addition to providing care at LHMC, the neurohospitalist group provides 24/7 neurological and telestroke coverage for many critical access hospitals across the state of Montana. Using HIPPA-compliant and secure video, our neurologists (who may be hundreds of miles away) can virtually examine a suspected stroke patient and make recommendations about the best course of treatment. This service allows hospitals without local neurological expertise to bring neurology specialists to their patients at any given moment. “We have found that telestroke improves patient care, increases stroke treatment, and ultimately saves lives,” says Dani Walker, the RN Stroke Program Coordinator at LHMC. “We are focused on making sure that no matter where you are in Montana, you have access to emergent stroke and neurological expertise.”
Logan Health Medical Center is a designated Primary Stroke Center and recognized by the American Heart/American Stroke Association for their dedication to providing excellent stroke care and continually improving patient outcomes. With a long-standing history of exemplary achievement, Logan Health is proud to offer expanded neurological care to our community and many communities across Montana.