Back to Previous

TeleSpecialists Expands Digital Healthcare Access Across Rural Communities Nationwide

By: | Tags: , , , , , , , | May 12th, 2026

Board-certified specialist access now reaches rural communities in Georgia, Louisiana, and California 

FORT MYERS, Fla., May 12, 2026. TeleSpecialists, the physician-owned digital healthcare solution provider that hospitals nationwide choose when prioritizing superior quality and effective partnership, announced today the continued expansion of its teleneurology programs across rural hospital systems in Georgia, Louisiana, and California. The expansion brings board-certified neurologists to communities where specialist access has historically required hours of travel or costly patient transfers. 

“Rural hospitals serve populations that carry up to 30% higher stroke mortality rates than urban areas,” according to the American Stroke Association, driven by a consistent structural reality: no neurologist on site, no capacity to treat, and transfer as the only option. TeleSpecialists addresses that gap directly, with board-certified specialists on screen in under three minutes, integrated into existing workflows, entering orders directly into the facility’s electronic medical record. 

The expansion comes during Stroke Awareness Month, a timely reminder of the stakes for communities where specialist access remains out of reach. 

TeleSpecialists brings its full neurology continuum to each new partnership, including TeleStroke, TeleNeuroHospitalist Rounding, TeleEEG, and Outpatient Neurology, each configured to the specific clinical and operational profile of the partner hospital rather than a standardized deployment template.  

Hospitals that previously transferred every suspected stroke patient now evaluate, treat, and admit. Facilities that had no neurologist on staff now have board-certified subspecialty access around the clock. Their results are consistent with outcomes documented across more than 400 partner hospitals nationwide. 

“Rural communities are not looking to change who they are. They want to stay close to their families, their neighbors, and the communities they love, and still receive the same high standard of neurological care as any major medical center. That is exactly what this expansion makes possible,” said Eve Mahaffey, Business Development Director. 

Hendry Regional Medical Center in Clewiston, Florida, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, offers the clearest documented picture of what this model produces. From 2022 to 2025, HRMC achieved Joint Commission Acute Stroke Ready Certification, a 30% reduction in door-to-needle time, and a Get With the Guidelines Stroke Composite Score of 95.1%, with neurologist response times averaging under five minutes on camera where no neurologist previously existed. 

“Without teleneurology, we would transfer every suspected stroke. Now we evaluate, treat, and admit. That is not incremental improvement. That is a different hospital,” said Tracy Victory, MSN, RN, ER Director and Stroke Coordinator, Hendry Regional Medical Center. 

Beyond clinical metrics, HRMC’s Emergency Department visit volume tripled over the same period. Nursing staff retention improved as team members advanced through the stroke certification program. The hospital’s relationship with local emergency medical services shifted from reactive to collaborative. 

TeleSpecialists does not deploy a standardized program and move on. Implementation begins with detailed mapping of the facility’s existing clinical environment, and monthly quality reviews, mock stroke events, and joint certification support remain standard throughout the partnership. 

About TeleSpecialists
TeleSpecialists is the physician-owned digital healthcare solution provider that hospitals nationwide choose when prioritizing superior quality and effective partnerships. Since 2014, we have delivered comprehensive teleneurology and telepsychiatry services to more than 1.5 million patients across emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings. Our board-certified specialists integrate sophisticated technology with clinical expertise to provide rapid, responsive, and reliable consultations that enhance patient access, improve outcomes, and retain revenue. Physician-founded, physician-owned, and physician-led from day one. For more information, visit tstelemed.com.

Contact Us

Next Best Content:

Nattasha Acevedo, MD

Dr. Acevedo received her medical degree from the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and did her neurology residency at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. She went on to do a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Emory School of Medicine in Atla nta, Georgia and then joined private practice in Fort Myers, Florida. She currently resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She likes running, paddle boarding and spending time with family.
dr-nattasha-acevedo-teleneurology
close-link

Bernadette Borte, MD

Dr. Borte received her medical degree from St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine in Grand Cayman. She completed her neurology residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. Her areas of interest include inpatient neurology and acute stroke. When not working, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. Dr. Borte joined the TeleSpecialist family in March of 2019.
dr-bernadette-borte-teleneurology
close-link

Mazen Almidani, MD

Dr. Almidani is board certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics and board certified in epilepsy, as well as neurology with special  qualification in child neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  Dr. Almidani is happily married with 4 children. His oldest son has autism and his daughter has complicated seizures; both were a drive for him to become a neurologist. Dr. Almidani enjoys soccer, running and spending time with his family. He is very involved with his sons’ therapy and helping with daily challenges. He is double board certified in Pediatric and Adult Neurology and Epilepsy. He sees children and adults. He also participates in charities for children in Syria who may be underprivileged and/or affected by the war. Dr. Almidani joined TeleSpecialists in August 2020.
close-link

Amanda Cheshire, MD

Dr. Cheshire received her medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky. She completed her neurology residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. She did a fellowship in neurophysiology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Cheshire is double board certified in neurology and clinical neurophysiology. She enjoys traveling, reading and music. She currently resides in Viera, Florida.  Dr. Cheshire joined TeleSpecialists in June 2019.
dr-amanda-cheshire-teleneurology
close-link

Jessica Floyd, MD

Dr. Floyd completed her neurology residency at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida followed by fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology with focus in EEG and epilepsy at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. She has particular interest in hospital neurology and patient education as well as the blossoming specialty of lifestyle medicine. She strives to take advantage of every encounter with patients and medical staff to empower them to do their own research into how daily thoughts, choices, and habits can add up to create greater and longer-lasting brain and neurologic health for ourselves and our loved ones. She lives in Florence, South Carolina with her awesome husband of 13 plus years and three beautiful children. She is an avid yogi, astrologer, and lover of food and all things neurology! Dr. Floyd joined the TeleSpecialist family in July 2017.
dr-jessica-floyd-teleneurology
close-link

Nancy Futrell, MD

Dr. Futrell received her medical degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also did her neurology residency at the University of Utah as well as a research fellowship in cerebral vascular disease at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. She currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has authored 2 books and 50 peer reviewed papers. 
dr-nancy-futrell-teleneurology
close-link

Rebecca Jimenez-Sanders, MD

Dr. Jimenez Sanders received her undergraduate degree from Emory University, and her medical degree from the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. She completed her neurology residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, where she also did a specialized headache medicine and facial pain fellowship. She currently resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband and her two daughters. She is also fluent in Spanish and Italian languages, and enjoys photography, baking, boating, and biking.
dr-rebecca-jiminez-sanders-teleneurology
close-link

Cory Lamar, MD

Dr. Lamar received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his internship and residency at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Following residency, he completed a clinical fellowship in neurophysiology, with a concentration in epilepsy. He currently resides in Florida and enjoys outdoor activities.
close-link

Clifford Meyers, MD

Dr. Meyers received his medical degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and his MBA from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. He completed his neurology residency at the University of Rochester, where he also did a neurophysiology fellowship. Dr. Meyers resides in Webster, New York with his wife and daughter. When not doing teleneurology, he enjoys playing sports with his wife and daughter.
dr-clifford-meyers-teleneurology
close-link

Tao Tong, MD

Dr. Tong received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. She completed her neurology residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, where she also did a neuromuscular/EMG fellowship.  She currently resides in College Station, Texas. Dr. Tong is married with two boys. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and reading.
dr-tao-tong-teleneurology
close-link

Shubhangi Chumble, MD

Dr. Chumble attended BJ Medical School. She is a board certified neurologist with a subspeciality interest in sleep medicine. Dr. Chumble did her residency at Howard University in Washington DC and has practiced neurology since 2001 in private and corporate settings. She lives in Melbourne, Florida and loves the sunshine state. Her hobbies include yoga, meditation, cooking , traveling and meeting new people. She also loves to do stained glass, pottery and painting. She joined TeleSpecialists in June 2019.
close-link