The Real News Louisiana

NATCHITOCHES, LA., March 25, 2026. Natchitoches Regional Medical Center (NRMC) today announced a digital healthcare partnership with TeleSpecialists, a physician-owned teleneurology and telepsychiatry provider. Through the partnership, NRMC launches three new neurology services: TeleStroke, TeleNeuroHospitalist, and TeleEEG. Patients and families across Natchitoches, Grant, Winn, Red River, and Sabine parishes who previously had to travel for stroke or neurological treatment can now receive that care at NRMC.

NRMC has grown significantly over the past 12 years, from roughly 75,000 patient encounters annually to more than 225,000 today. The 96-bed facility serves as the primary hospital for the rural communities of approximately 100,000 residents. Prior to this partnership, NRMC had no on-site neurologists, meaning patients experiencing serious neurological events had to be transferred to another facility. The new partnership with TeleSpecialists elevates NRMC to the next level in patient care.

“Expanding our telemedicine services marks a significant step in improving access to specialized neurological care for both our patients and the communities we serve,” said Sarah LaCour, Chief Nursing Offcer. “Through collaboration with trusted partners, such as TeleSpecialists, we are enhancing the depth and reach of our services and providing greater access to high-quality care. This partnership reflects our continued commitment to innovation, excellence, and meeting the evolving healthcare needs of those we serve.”

Through TeleStroke, a board-certified stroke specialist joins the care team virtually at the patient’s bedside within three minutes of arrival to provide time-sensitive treatment, any time of day or night. The TeleNeuroHospitalist program ensures patients admitted for neurological conditions have a specialist guiding their care throughout their hospital stay, without the need for transfer. With TeleEEG, specialists review brain activity for patients experiencing seizures or sudden changes in condition, giving the care team the clinical information needed to make timely decisions.

“Rural communities deserve the same standard of neurological care as any major medical center. Our partnership with NRMC means that when a patient in the greater Natchitoches region shows signs of a stroke, a specialist is there within minutes. Geography should never determine the quality of someone’s care,” said Stephanie Casale, MSN, RN, CPAHA, Quality Program Specialist, TeleSpecialists.

Building on this foundation, NRMC also plans to launch TeleSpecialists’ Outpatient Neurology program in the coming months. The addition of this scheduled follow-up care will allow patients to move from emergency care through recovery without leaving the greater Natchitoches region.