Projects

Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Providence Care Hospital, Stroke Network of SEO

Timely access to rehabilitation is a key best practice in stroke care. The Fast Track working group was established to facilitate a Fast Track process for flow from acute to rehabilitation stroke units in the Kingston area.

Teams at Kingston Health Sciences Centre came together in 2019 to develop a process map for coiling of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. This was followed by the development and approval of a business case for ruptured cases which received broad input.

Local resources are listed by sector of continuum of care followed by Provincial and National resources.

As a component of the 2019-21 workplan, the Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario launched an Acute, Rehabilitation and Community Stroke Services andTransitions Project. This ARC project, which is intended to support regional progression towards an integrated care approach, has included:

KHSC-KGH Site received the prestigious Stroke Distinction Award for Acute Stroke Services from Accreditation Canada in 2012, 2014 and again in 2018. The distinction status continues to be sustained with most recent decision letter from Accreditation Canada in January 2019. This award recognizes KHSC as one of the top national leaders in demonstrating clinical excellence and commitment to stroke care and prevention.

Beginning on May 2, 2016 Stroke Survivors in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville counties have access to specialized stroke care at the Acute Stroke Unit in Brockville through the partnership of Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital and Brockville General Hospital. Stroke Unit Care is known to improve survival rates and to optimize recovery and return home. Please refer to the FACT SHEET, Video and Brochure for more information. In the video Linda and Joan (stroke survivors) and their families describe the importance of acute stroke unit care.

In May 2017 KHSC-KGH site completed a Pilot study of Endovascular Thrombectomy (EVT) with 10 patients who met the ESCAPE trial selection criteria.

Annual reports evaluating the impacts of the professionally facilitated South East LHIN-funded Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Support Groups are submitted to the LHIN as per reporting requirements.  The evaluation process is typically comprised of several components that assess participant experience and outcomes as well as group demographics.

The Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Support Groups are hosted by:

Timely, enhanced community and LTC rehabilitation services have been provided to stroke survivors in Southeastern Ontario since February 2009 with the launch of an innovative LHIN-funded project. In April 2011, recognizing the critical role this enhanced service plays in both improving stroke survivors' functional outcomes and health system utilization as evidenced by reduced lenths of stay, the LHIN committed to supporting the service as a regional standard in support of best practice in stroke care.

The Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario conducted a community consultation in 2015. he intent of the consultation was to hear stroke survivor, caregiver and health care provider voices and to actionably respond to those stories by charting a course toward improved community reintegration.

The SEO region has higher rates than the province for vascular disease risk factors such as obesity and hypertension as well as high rates of smoking and alcohol use. To improve our understanding of how to support vascular disease risk reduction and to inform regional and provincial actions, the Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario completed an environmental scan of all Family Health Teams and Community Health Centres across SEO in 2011 and 2012.

The 2010 Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care, Section 5.1, Rehabilitation - Assessment Recommendation, states that “Clinicians should use standardized, valid assessment tools to evaluate the patient’s stroke related impairments and functional status.” Outcome Measures Workshops have been held across the region, including in Belleville, Kingston, Perth and Brockville addressing specific area needs. The Southeast Region Stroke Network is involved in ongoing reflection and action planning towards implementation of stroke best practice in outcome measures use.

Paramedics in Ontario play an integral role in identifying patients that may be having an acute stroke and transporting directly to a Designated Stroke Centre. By doing so they ensure patients have timely access to hospitals where definitive hyperacute stroke treatment can be administered. A regional acute stroke protocol was first implemented in 1999 in Southeastern Ontario and in 2004, a provinical Paramedic Prompt Card for Acute Stroke Protocol was implemented across Ontario.

In April 2012, an environmental scan of the Commuity Support Service Agencies in Southeastern Ontario was initiated by the Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario. The intent of the scan was to understand how the Network might best support CSS agency staff in the provision of care and services to persons with stroke and their care partners in the community. The scan was completed in May 2013 and results have been summarized in this report.

• Report

On November 28, 2012, "Leveraging Rehabilitation to Improve Patient Flow and Quality Outcomes in Southeastern Ontario Using Stroke Care as a Model" took place as part of a first step in identifying potential solutions to improving patient flow and outcomes in Southeastern Ontario (SEO). The following reports will be used to guide the next steps of local and regional planning and implementation. For further detail, please click on the links below:

For further information on this project, please contact Cally Martin, Regional Director, Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario. This project was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, through Stroke funding.

The purpose of this project was to increase the uptake of health promotion concepts and the use of that knowledge by the interprofessional primary health care teams in the four Community Health Centres in the South East LHIN. Learnings from this project are relevant to Family Health Teams and Community Health Centres.

In order to better understand how the Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario (SNSEO) could best support the 39 LTC Homes in our region to implement and sustain best practice stroke care, an environmental scan was conducted. The goals of the scan were to:

For further information on this project, please contact Gwen Brown, Regional Stroke Community & LTC
Coordinator at 613-549-6666 x6867.
Pamela Smit, Project Consultant, Veradus Consulting, Phone: (613) 820-7036

The expected outcomes of this project are as follows:

The objective of this project was to develop a stroke continuing education program for frontline community and LTC health care providers that can be used across existing academic settings and programs throughout Ontario. the program is based on the education resource entitled "Tips and Tools for Everyday Living: A Guide for Stroke Caregivers".

From 2002 to 2004, the Stroke Rehabilitation Pilot Project of SEO investigated ways to improve the rehabilitation system for stroke survivors, their families and their health-care providers.