District Stroke Program

District Stroke Centre Background What is the Ontario Stroke System? What is a stroke? What causes a stroke? Stroke Warning Signs Stroke Related Websites District Stroke Centre The North Bay District Stroke Centre provides local leadership and collaborates with district and regional partners to achieve coordinated and integrated of stroke care across all points in the spectrum of stroke care including promotion, primary and secondary prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, long term care and home care. The objective is to ensure that all stroke survivors receive optimal, seamless, patient-centered care guided by best practices for stroke care wherever they are in the district. Background The Northeast Regional Stroke Strategy Steering Committee established in 2002, to oversee the direction and operation of the Northeastern Ontario Regional Stroke Strategy. The Telestroke Project, including participation in the Canadian Stroke Network Registry, went LIVE at North Bay General Hospital in July 2002. Telestroke enables emergency physicians to obtain neurology consults 24/7 via videoconference technology. The clot buster medication, tPA, has been available in the Emergency Department since July 2002. The drug is used for patients who meet the clinical criteria and can be treated within 3 hours of stroke onset. The EMS (ambulance) "bypass" system has been operating in the district since May 2003, to give qualifying district stroke patients timely access to tPA. North Bay General Hospital was designated as the District Stroke Centre on March 2003. What is the Ontario Stroke System? The development of a comprehensive stroke strategy began as an initiative of the Heart and Stroke Foundation in 1998 with a goal to ensure that Ontarians have access to the best stroke care possible. A demonstration project was organized to develop and test an approach to organized stroke care across the continuum of care. Recent developments in stroke are the result of extensive advocacy efforts from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Other achievements included a statement in May 2000 from the Treasurer of Ontario announcing an investment of $30 million a year for a comprehensive stroke strategy. In June 2000 the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care released Towards an Integrated Stroke Strategy for Ontario, a report of a joint Ministry/Foundation Stroke Strategy Working Group. The Minister described the report as a "road map" for implementing a comprehensive stroke strategy and led the way to developing new protocols for stroke treatment in Ontario. The Ontario Stroke System strives to ensure that all Ontarians have access to appropriate, quality stroke care in a timely manner. The strategy involves integrating the system of stroke care so that Ontarians receive timely and relevant stroke health promotion and prevention services, rapid access to diagnosis and treatment for stroke and appropriate rehabilitation/long-term care for people who have suffered a stroke. The Ontario Stroke System promotes a model that is: Comprehensive: improve stroke services across the entire continuum of care, from prevention programs to care in long-term care or community settings. Integrated: essential services and providers function as a unified whole; formal linkages established across the continuum of care and across Ontario to minimize duplication of services and optimize existing resources. Evidence-based: build on practices and care that have been supported by scientific evidence, or are considered the gold standard (“best practice”) according to prevailing knowledge. Province-wide: available to all Ontarians in all parts of the province (through designations, telemedicine etc.) Source: Ministry of Health and Long Term Care What is a stroke? A stroke, sometimes called a "brain attack," occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. When a stroke occurs, brain cells in the immediate area begin to die because they stop getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. What causes a stroke? There are two major kinds of stroke. The first, called an ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. About 80 percent of all strokes are ischemic. The second, known as a hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel in the brain that breaks and bleeds into the brain. About 20 percent of strokes are hemorrhagic Stroke Warning Signs Learn to recognize the warning signs of a stroke: Weakness: sudden weakness, numbness or tingling in the face, arm or leg; Trouble speaking: sudden temporary loss of speech or trouble understanding speech; Vision problems: sudden loss of vision, particularly in one eye, or double vision; Headache: sudden, severe and unusual headache; Dizziness: sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs. If you believe someone is having a stroke call 911 or your medical emergency number immediately. Treatment can be more effective if given quickly. Every minute counts! Stroke Related Websites What is a Stroke? - Canadian Stroke Network Heart and Stroke Foundation - Homepage Stroke Warning Signs - Heart & Stroke Foundation Stroke Site - Heart and Stroke Foundation The Brain Attack Coalition Internet Stroke Centre Canadian Health Network