Components of the Ontario Stroke System
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Ontario Stroke Network | Provides central coordination and evaluation of the Ontario Stroke System (www.ontariostrokenetwork.ca) |
| 9 regional stroke centres and 2 enhanced district stroke centres | Responsible for organizing resources, patient care and education across a region. Have clinicians with expertise in stroke care as well as neurosurgical and interventional radiology facilities |
| 16 district stroke centres | Have clinicians with expertise in stroke care as well as the capacity to provide thrombolytic therapy and neuroimaging |
| 24 secondary stroke prevention clinics | Provide regional stroke prevention care |
| Regional transfer and repatriation agreements | Formalized agreements between organizations to allow patients with stroke to be transferred between institutions if needed |
| Emergency medical services bypass protocols | Agreements with emergency medical services that allow ambulances to bypass the nearest hospital to take patients with suspected stroke to a regional stroke centre |
| Stroke best practices recommendations (20) | Evidence-based stroke care recommendations and practice guidelines (www.strokebestpractices.ca) |
| Telestroke program (22) | Allows communication of patient clinical and neuroimaging data to a stroke specialist; facilitates use of thrombolytic therapy at remote centres |
| Public awareness campaigns | Television advertising campaign about the warning signs of stroke |
| Regional stroke education programs | Stroke education programs for providers, patients and caregivers |
| Province-wide audit and feedback of stroke care delivery (15), (23) | Ongoing data collection on processes of stroke care through the Ontario Stroke Registry (formerly the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network), with annual region-specific report cards (www.rcsn.org) |