UR Medicine’s Mobile Stroke Unit

Rochester, NY is setting the standard in the national response time when it comes to stroke patients.

As of now, the national standard response time is about 60 minutes and, before the introduction of the University of Rochester’s new Mobile Stroke Unit, the U of R averaged at about 50 minutes. Within that time the patient must undergo a brain scan and take a life saving drug called TPA.

After unveiling the new mobile unit about six months ago, UR Medicine has been able to cut the response time down to just nine minutes! The mobile unit has a specialized crew aboard that can perform CT scans, blood tests, and administer life-saving drugs, all while en route to the hospital. It’s basically an emergency room on wheels.

Although UR Medicine’s innovation has now placed them among the fastest in response times throughout the country, director of the Stroke and Cerebrovascular Services, Dr. Tarun Bhalla thinks they can do better.

“I think the full potential of this unit has yet to be realized. We’re still in the pilot phase and we’re gonna continue to push the envelope,” he said.

The UR Medicine Mobile Stroke Unit is the first of its kind in upstate New York and expansion plans are currently in the works.

See more about the Mobile Stroke Unit here: