WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute neurologist helps launch Paraguay’s first national teleneurology and telestroke network

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – When Amelia Adcock, M.D., first set foot in rural Paraguay as a Peace Corps volunteer years ago, she had no idea that the experience would eventually come full circle — shaping her career as a neurologist and helping her transform stroke care for an entire nation. 

Today, Dr. Adcock, a vascular neurologist at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI), is serving as a consultant and collaborator for Paraguay’s first-ever national teleneurology and telestroke program — a milestone that is changing how stroke care is delivered across the country.  

What began as a connection through West Virginia University’s Global Engagement Office has grown into a decade-long partnership with Paraguayan neurologist Ricardo Mernes, M.D., often referred to as the “father” of the nation’s modern stroke program.  

Together, their teams have worked to overcome limited access to life-saving stroke treatments and to build an infrastructure that now connects hospitals across the country through telemedicine.  

“In 2022, there was only one hospital in Paraguay’s capital city authorized to use thrombolytics — the mainstay treatment for acute stroke,” Adcock said. “We’ve gone from zero access to now 12 public hospitals across the country participating in the national telestroke network, with more than 100 patients treated so far.”  

With support from Paraguay’s Ministry of Health, the network launched its pilot program in 2023 and quickly expanded after early success. The country’s door-to-needle times — the time between hospital arrival and administration of treatment — are now comparable to those at leading U.S. stroke centers, despite limited resources.  

This effort represents a significant step forward for global health equity. More than 70 percent of Paraguay’s population relies on government healthcare, and until recently, most stroke patients lacked any access to emergency neurological care.  

“We are proud to support this important work led by Dr. Adcock to expand access to high-quality stroke care in Paraguay,” David Watson, M.D., professor and chair of the WVU School of Medicine Department of Neurology, said. “This initiative reflects the commitment of WVU Medicine faculty to apply their expertise not only locally, but to advance health equity worldwide.” 

Now, through a combination of telemedicine, education, and collaboration, stroke specialists can guide treatment remotely in real time, saving lives that once would have been lost to delays in care.  

Beyond clinical implementation, Adcock and her collaborators are focused on sustainability — ensuring that training, infrastructure, and engagement keep the program strong for the long term.  

The team has also introduced telesite certification, national public education campaigns on stroke recognition, and ongoing case review webinars that draw hundreds of healthcare providers from across the region.  

“The level of engagement is just mind-blowing,” Adcock said. “We’ll host a webinar, and 300 people will show up. They see the value and want to improve health in their communities. It’s incredibly inspiring.”  

Adcock presented the program’s early data at the World Stroke Congress in 2023 and again at the European Stroke Organization meeting in Helsinki last year. She was also recently appointed to the World Stroke Organization’s newly established Telestroke Committee, which is developing international standards for telemedicine-based stroke care.  

For Adcock, the work in Paraguay is deeply personal — and a reflection of WVU Medicine’s mission to improve health at home and around the world.  

“When I lived in Paraguay years ago, I saw firsthand how limited resources can impact healthcare delivery,” she said.  

“Now, to see people there giving presentations, reviewing cases, and sharing data from patients they’ve treated through a system we helped build, that’s a full-circle moment. It’s proof that with collaboration, creativity, and persistence, you can change what’s possible.” 

For more information on the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/RNI.  

About the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute   

The WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) is a comprehensive multidisciplinary patient care, education, research, and innovation institute providing neurological and mental healthcare for 330,000 patients annually. More than 300 physicians and scientists of the RNI improve lives by pioneering advances in neuroscience, brain health, and therapeutics. The RNI team uses the latest technologies with academic, government, and industry partners to make tangible progress to combat public health challenges ranging from addiction to Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, visit WVUMedicine.org/RNI.