Ascension Seton will launch a mobile stroke unit in 2027 to serve Central Texans after receiving a $1.25 million from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The unit will be the state’s third mobile stroke facility, joining ones in Houston and El Paso.
The stroke unit will serve as “a miniature emergency room on wheels,” said Dr. Rachel B. Pearson, a neurologist at Ascension Seton in Round Rock. The goal is to meet patients where they are, delivering life-saving stroke treatment as quickly as possible, she said.
The features
The mobile stroke unit will have all of the features of a traditional ambulance, as well as a CT scanner for imaging, equipment for basic labs and the “clot-busting drug” designed exclusively to treat stroke patients.
The unit will also have a stroke-trained nurse and paramedics on staff. A stroke neurologist will access the patient and imaging virtually, in real time, to make the diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Why it matters
The Ascension Seton team is aware of transportation limitations in Central Texas, such as traffic and existing rural communities. Having the mobile unit will eliminate some of the treatment delays by traveling to patients, treating them in the field and taking them to the hospital.
“It's just going to allow us to treat more patients, to reach more folks and for them to receive this life-saving disability-limiting care,” Pearson said. “It's really state-of-the-art technology.”
The mobile unit will initially serve Williamson County and will later assess the needs of surrounding areas after the launch.
Something to note
When identifying whether or not a person is experiencing a stroke, doctors use the acronym B.E. F.A.S.T. to evaluate a sudden onset of neurological symptoms, Pearson said.
B: balance issues, room spinning, inability to walk
E: eye problems, vision loss, double vision
F: facial droop
A: arm weakness
S: speech change, difficulty understanding words, trouble speaking, slurred speech
T: time, every second counts
“The faster we can get that medicine in the system, the faster we can get the interventional team to the hospital to remove the blood clot, the better your outcomes, the better your recovery is going to be,” Pearson said.
What’s next
Ascension Seton is continuing its growth with the addition of a new tower at Seton Williamson, which will open in early September with about 100 more hospital beds, Pearson explained.
At its existing facility, Seton is already a primary plus stroke center, but, as the hospital continues to develop, the goal is to become a comprehensive stroke center and offer aneurysm care, she said.
