ABOUT US
The Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario is one of 11 regional systems established across the province to work with the Ontario Stroke System and our regional communities to achieve our Vision and Mission. The Vision of the OSS is "Fewer strokes. Better outcomes". The Mission is "to continuously improve stroke prevention, care, recovery, and reintegration". Our Network seeks to improve access to evidence-based stroke prevention and stroke care in order to reduce stroke incidence, mortality and residual disability. Our work involves re-organizing stroke-care delivery across the care continuum, promoting system-change, professional education, knowledge translation and public awareness.
Background
In 1998, Southeastern Ontario was selected as one of four pilot sites for the Coordinated Stroke Strategy of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. This was an initiative designed to improve stroke care through systems change, public awareness and professional education. The Southeast Pilot ran from 1998-2001 and was led by the Care Delivery Network, a Queen’s University health integration project, in partnership with health care professionals from across the region. In 1999, Southeastern Ontario was the first region in Canada to develop and implement a co-ordinated regional emergency system response (Regional Acute Stroke Protocol) to access time-dependent stroke treatment. Many partners within Southeastern Ontario worked with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the other pilot sites to provide the provincial Ministry of Health and Long Term Care with evidence of the need for, and benefits of, a coordinated approach to stroke care across the continuum.
In 2000, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care committed funding to support the development of a province-wide integrated strategy for organizing stroke care based on the early success of the pilots within the Coordinated Stroke Strategy. Named the Ontario Stroke Strategy, the goal of the $30-million program is now to ensure that all Ontarians receive evidence-based stroke prevention and care in order to decrease stroke incidence, mortality and residual disability. The strategy’s goal is to re-organize stroke-care delivery across the care continuum, promoting system-change, professional education and public awareness. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has made an ongoing commitment to funding this initiative.
The following provide updates on the current status of the Ontario Stroke System:
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We work with all the stakeholders in stroke care "to continuously improve stroke prevention, care, recovery, and reintegration" in Southeastern Ontario. |
