If positive, the results of this study could persuade the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and other payors to reimburse providers and emergency medical services for mobile stroke clinical activities.

Nour says the unit has the potential to become a testing ground for novel neuroprotective therapies and applications for treating a wide range of diseases outside of stroke. She hopes that it is the first in a mobile fleet of up to nine units.


“We hope that we can show in the next few years that this is not only an efficient clinical application, but also cost-effective,” she said. “By showing that, hopefully, Medicare and private payors will pay for the activities in the unit just like they do in the ER setting. It’s just a different venue. In doing so, we hope that we provide this type of service to cover the entire LA county and hopefully, to cover the entire area of the U.S., and that this will change the big landscape of stroke care.”

The unit operates four days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is expected to cover portions of Carson, North Long Beach and possibly Lakewood following the New Year, in coordination with the LA County Fire Department.

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