PRESS RELEASE
LAKEVILLE, Minn. — OhioHealth recently integrated Hinckley Medical’s first-of-its-kind OneWeight ambulance gurney scale into its Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit (MSTU), a specialized vehicle designed to diagnose and treat stroke patients before they even arrive at the hospital. This collaboration aims to enhance patient care through more accurate and timely weight-based dosing of thrombolytic medications, such as tenecteplase (TNK), which are crucial for treating ischemic stroke.
Precise Weight, Improved Outcomes
In the acute phase of stroke care, the precision of thrombolytic dosing can significantly influence patient outcomes. Accurate weight determination is critical, as thrombolytics like TNK are weight-based medications. Miscalculating dosages, especially during the crucial moments after symptom onset, may blunt the therapeutic benefits of these life-saving drugs.
“There are numerous studies where dosages of thrombolytics have been underestimated, leading to less effective treatment,” said Dr. B.J. Hicks, Vice President of Neurosciences at OhioHealth. “Accuracy in the acute phase is necessary to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients.”
“By integrating OneWeight into our Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit, we can streamline patient assessments and help ensure that the correct dosage of TNK is administered.”
Time is Brain: Enhancing Stroke Care Efficiency
The MSTU is designed to treat stroke patients as quickly as possible, with a goal of administering thrombolytic therapy within the golden hour—just 60 minutes from the onset of symptoms. Time is a critical factor in stroke care, as every minute saved can prevent brain damage and improve long-term outcomes for patients. Without adequate oxygen supply, a person’s brain can lose 2 million cells every minute.
“To achieve rapid treatment, we need processes that eliminate redundancy and accomplish multiple steps in parallel,” Dr. Hicks added. “The OneWeight gurney scale improves efficiency in the MSTU. This innovation allows us to weigh patients quickly and accurately, expediting weight-based medication calculations and saving precious minutes in the field.”
A Partnership for Patient Safety and Timely Care
OhioHealth’s relationship with Hinckley Medical exemplifies a shared commitment to patient safety and innovation. By incorporating OneWeight into the MSTU, OhioHealth is better equipped to deliver the right care at the right time, ensuring that stroke patients in Columbus, OH, and surrounding areas receive the most precise, timely treatment possible.
“Our collaboration with Hinckley Medical underscores our dedication to providing the best care for stroke patients. The OneWeight system adds a significant tool we need to deliver weight-based thrombolytic therapy with the highest level of accuracy and efficiency,” said Dr. Hicks.
Hinckley Medical’s OneWeight is the first patient scale specifically designed for use with ambulance gurneys, integrating seamlessly into prehospital workflows to enhance on-scene efficiency, reduce provider stress and minimize medical errors. By providing immediate and accurate weight measurements, OneWeight eliminates the need for manual calculations, allowing EMS providers to focus on delivering life-saving care.
About Hinckley Medical
Hinckley Medical minimizes prehospital medical errors with two innovative solutions: OneDose, an interactive protocol-workflow app, and OneWeight, the first patient scale for ambulance gurneys. Designed for seamless integration or standalone use, both enhance patient care by ensuring accurate weight-based dosing and streamlined protocol adherence. www.hinckleymed.com
About the OhioHealth Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit
The Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit (MSTU) is a partnership between OhioHealth, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Mount Carmel Health System and the Columbus Division of Fire. Bringing advanced stroke care right to the patient, the MSTU comprises stroke-specific team members, an on-board CT scanner, point-of-care laboratory testing equipment and stroke neurology expertise via a telemedicine connection. www.ohiohealth.com/services/neuroscience/our-programs/stroke