title: Best practices in stroke care.
abstract: In 2001, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care introduced the Ontario Stroke Strategy by designating regional stroke centres across the province. The primary role of these centres is to coordinate stroke care within the region and across the care continuum in keeping with best practices. Concurrently, Trillium Health Centre was identifying best practice projects to support its ongoing quest for excellence. With Trillium designated as a regional stroke centre, acute ischemic stroke care was an obvious choice for a best practice project. The aim of the project was to improve access to care and quality of care for stroke patients from emergency through acute care to in-patient rehabilitation. The team chose the rapid cycle change methodology. This approach to quality improvement advocates the testing of a series of small changes (i.e., process improvement ideas) in tandem with measurements to assess the impact of the change to drive further process improvements. The project was deemed a success, resulting in significant improvements in the timeliness and quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience/Musculoskeletal Health System, Trillium Health Centre, Mississauga, Ontario.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bisaillon
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kelloway
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pageau
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Woloshyn
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000592:standards; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009864:Ontario; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000592:standards; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D014218:Triage / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator