Eastern Missouri Community Hospital Reduces Patient Transfers by 36% with Teleneurology Coverage

In 2020, this 99-bed acute care hospital serving eastern Missouri lost its inpatient neurology coverage, leaving an immediate gap in acute stroke care and inpatient neurological rounding. Without neurologists on staff, the hospital was unable to meet the neurological needs of its community and was forced to transfer patients elsewhere.

Starting June 2021, Sevaro provided emergent and non-emergent teleneurology coverage via board-certified neurologists consulting via video. The service covered acute stroke care, neuro critical care, and inpatient rounding rounds-the-clock, replacing the lost in-house coverage with a virtual neurology team.

Over the first 6 months, Sevaro completed 643 neurological consultations (217 emergent, 446 non-emergent), exceeding initial volume estimates by 114.33%. The hospital retained 131 patients who would have previously required transfer, reducing its transfer rate by 36%.

• Teleneurology can fully replace lost in-house neurology coverage for community hospitals, eliminating care gaps without hiring permanent staff.
• Transfer prevention is a measurable and significant outcome: retaining 131 of ~643 patients represents both cost savings and improved patient experience.
• Consult volume routinely exceeds initial estimates once access barriers are removed, suggesting suppressed demand in underserved communities.