The Stroke Foundation is looking at implementing a national telehealth service to improve rural stroke outcomes.
The Federal and New South Wales Governments have put $9.4 million towards developing a centralised stroke telehealth service.
Head of Stroke at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Bruce Campbell said access to information and equipment was driving the gap between metro and rural healthcare.
"In many parts of Australia if you go to a local hospital, the reality is you're not going to get access to the kinds of urgent treatments that stroke patients need to minimise the disability after stroke,” Mr Campbell said.