Many people in the Augusta area may have suffered a stroke and can no longer work. As readers know, a stroke can cause a multitude of problems that could require a person to apply for Social Security Disability benefits when employment is no longer an option. But for a lot of Georgia residents, and especially those living in rural areas, getting properly diagnosed and treated for a stroke has in the past been difficult because many hospitals don't have neurologists on staff.

However, readers in the August area will be interested to know that the system for the treatment and diagnosis of strokes is now changing.

Georgia residents may be aware that a neurological exam and a CT scan are important in diagnosing a stroke, as well as for administering the right clot-dissolving medication that can set a patient on the right path to partial or full recovery. But because there aren't enough neurologists to go around in Georgia medical facilities, patients either have to make do or be transported to a larger facility.

That is why a new "hub and spokes" model has been created by a medical care company called REACH. Usually, large academic medical centers like Medical College of Georgia Hospital have neurologists who can diagnose strokes and other neurological disorders. REACH puts those doctors, who are in the "hub" of the model, in touch with other rural medical facilities, which are said to be the "spokes."

REACH allows neurologists to do stroke exams remotely, and the system also allows for neurologists to offer special consultation on stroke patients who are miles and miles away.

People in Augusta and the surrounding areas who have suffered a stroke may benefit from the new system designed by REACH, but such treatment, no matter where you are, is bound to be expensive. Many patients who are unable to work because of a stroke may be eligible for SSDI benefits that can help cover the cost of proper diagnosis and treatment. To receive such benefits in a more timely manner, Georgia residents will likely want to consult with a legal professional who can help patients obtain SSDI benefits in the most efficient and stress-free manner possible.

Source: The Augusta Chronicle, "REACH stroke care system to be honored," Tom Corwin, Jan. 24, 2012