Telestroke: state of the science and steps for implementation.

Telemedicine or telehealth has been broadly defined as the use of telecommunications technologies to provide medical information and services. The use of telemedicine in the treatment of stroke-telestroke-has shown great promise in improving patient access to recommended stroke treatments in rural and other underserved areas. This article reviews the literature, discusses the potential impact, and makes recommendations for the use of this technology. It concentrates on the role of nurses, the potential impact, barriers, and promises of telestroke science.