INDIANA — Indiana University Health is discontinuing its Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU), ending an eight-year specialized emergency program that served as the first and only service of its kind across the state.
The specialized vehicle, designed to bring hospital-level diagnostic imaging directly to patients on the scene, is officially being decommissioned after reaching the end of its operational life.
In an official statement, IU Health confirmed that both the specialized vehicle and the onboard diagnostic equipment had reached the end of their functional service life.
“The Mobile Stroke Unit vehicle and the diagnostic equipment on board have reached the end of their operational lifespan, and the unit is ending service,” the health system stated.
With the unit’s retirement, the number of active mobile stroke units operating in the state returns to zero.
First rolled out in 2018 as part of a clinical research trial co-authored by IU School of Medicine researchers, the Mobile Stroke Unit served as a specialized ambulance outfitted with portable CT scanning technology and manned by trained medical personnel.
During a stroke emergency, time is critical—neurologists estimate that two million brain cells die during every minute a stroke goes untreated. The MSU allowed medical teams to:
- Perform immediate head CT scans parked directly outside a patient’s home or along emergency roadways.
- Differentiate between ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes on site.
- Administer clot-busting medications (such as tPA/Tenecteplase) up to 30 to 60 minutes faster than standard emergency transport protocols.
Throughout its eight-year tenure, the unit responded to thousands of calls and provided emergency stroke interventions to over 1,400 patients across Marion County.
IU Health assured residents that emergency stroke coverage will remain available through local first responders.
Health officials added that IU Health Methodist Hospital will continue serving as a certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, delivering advanced stroke care and rehabilitation services for patients across Indiana.
