Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Germany, also causing permanent disability and dependency. Because of the demographic development, an increase of stroke incidence and associated costs has to be assumed. In 81% of strokes immediate medical intervention can potentially offer a better success of treatment. However because of a therapeutic timeslot of approximately 4 hours, only 2% of all stroke patients receive the benefits of this therapy today. An acceleration of the procedures in the case of an emergency could increase this rate significantly. The goal of the ASTER project was to develop a telemedical platform for ambulance vehicles in order to optimise the emergency care with the focus on stroke emergencies. The focus of the development is the establishment of new procedures and information flows which aim to enhance diagnosis and transport routes.
ifak has participated in this project as subcontractor of the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. 
