Technological advancements have made healthcare more accessible to patients in rural areas. They’ve also given hospitals a chance to work with specialists from other locations. One example is the telestroke program that connects neurologists and specialists at Sanford Fargo in North Dakota with patients and hospitalists at Sanford Bemidji in Minnesota.
“Telestroke is a wonderful thing,” said Jessica Sims, a nurse practitioner in neurosurgery at Sanford Brain and Spine Center Fargo. “We’re essentially giving a rural place access to high-quality, specialized care that they don’t have in their area.”
Left-side vision vanished
Sims works with patients like Carol Rettinger, a 75-year-old retired teacher and former principal at St. Philip’s Catholic School in Bemidji. In early 2025, Rettinger had a little cold. Then suddenly, something went very wrong.
“My husband and I were watching TV Sunday night and I had a coughing fit, getting some of the gunk out,” Rettinger said. “When I went to put something on a chair, I only saw part of the chair. I’m looking down, and there was no left side. I only saw the right side of the chair. Then I looked at my husband and he only had three-quarters of a face. Think of a clock. I didn’t see anything from 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock.”
Rettinger’s daughter drove her to the emergency room.
“She looked like the headless horseman driving,” Rettinger said.
Rettinger had a stroke.
Fargo stroke care in Bemidji
Aadil Rajwani, M.D. is a hospitalist at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. He did not take care of Rettinger, but he has seen his share of stroke patients, and he says telestroke services can be lifesaving.
“We’ve had cases in the middle of the night where it’s unclear if it’s a stroke,” said Dr. Rajwani. “We’ve had the neuro guys (from Fargo) come in on camera and they’re able to do a formal neuro exam, which they have a lot more experience with. So it is extremely valuable when it comes to making those decisions.”
Stroke care: Know the signs and symptoms of a stroke
With stroke care, time equals brain. The faster the stroke can be treated, the better chance the patient has of mitigating loss of brain function and making a full recovery. Telestroke isn’t just for emergency situations though. It’s for follow-up too.
“Nurse practitioners from Fargo will evaluate the patient. We’ll come up with a discharge plan, and we have scheduled their follow-ups before they get discharged every time,” Dr. Rajwani said. “So they get the right care during the hospital stay and going forward once they leave the hospital.”
Far in distance but close in care
That’s why Rettinger is here today. She says she has made nearly a full recovery, with just a little bit of vision loss in her periphery. Her follow-up care is with Sims, who has seen Rettinger during telestroke appointments for the past year since her stroke.
“When I met with Jessica, she knew everything about me and it was wonderful,” Rettinger said. “It would seem like she was right there with you. She had all the tests, she knew everything about me, she asked questions, let me talk. Other than seeing her on the screen, it was like she was right there and filling me in.”
Plus, Rettinger saves time and money with telestroke appointments.
“She’s able to stay in her own location, in a city that she’s comfortable driving in, and get all the care that she needs without having to spend two hours and 40 minutes in the car just one way to see me,” Sims said.
They may be in different cities, but their patient-provider relationship is as strong as if they were in the very same room.
“It was personal,” Rettinger said. “I mean, I felt that Jessica knew me and was there focusing on what needed to be done to get me healthy. I brag about it. I’ve had nothing but wonderful experiences.”
Specialty care in a rural setting. That’s what Sanford Health and telestroke are all about.
“I’m so appreciative of the great care that I have gotten. Without a doubt,” said Rettinger.
Learn more
- Sanford stroke educators give lesson in spotting symptoms
- Podcast: Stadium announcer loses speech, recovers from stroke
- Hospital partnership builds an ICU for rural Minnesota
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Posted In Bemidji, Brain & Spine, Fargo, Virtual Care
