QUINCY - A new partnership between Quincy Valley Medical Center and Providence Sacred Heart of Spokane could help Quincy patients diagnosed with a stroke.

A timely response is crucial when treating a stroke, said Michele Wurl, director of public relations at the Quincy hospital. The new telestroke program will allow fast, face-to-face consultation between physicians in Quincy and Spokane, and doctors in Spokane can even talk with the patients, via a robot that can be wheeled from room to room.

The program allows the local doctor and the specialists to exchange information, from a discussion of symptoms to CT scans, Wurl said. It all happens as fast as the data can be transmitted.

"Huge benefit for patients," Wurl said, since the quicker a stroke can be diagnosed and treated, the better for the patient. And since an emergency like a stroke doesn't respect schedules, the neurology team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The mobile robot also allows a neurologist to conduct some assessments right away, letting the doctor ask questions, even do a visual exam. "They can zoom in and literally see a patient's eyelashes," Wurl said.

The program allows patients to stay home where it's appropriate, Wurl said.

And where it's not, it's an easier transition to Spokane for patients and families, she said.

A patient's treatment plan can be prepared before they get to the hospital, which is more efficient and cost effective, said Tena Cramer, director of neuroscience services at Sacred Heart.

The program is free to the hospital, Wurl said, and patients are billed as if it was a consultation.

Hospital officials are looking at other applications, including continuing education and cardiology, she said.