title: Evidence-based practice and setting basic standards for stroke rehabilitation in Canada.
abstract: It is a concern that the consistency of care in stroke rehabilitation appears to vary significantly among practice settings within Canada. Based upon an evidence-based review of stroke rehabilitation, a group of physiatrists from across Canada agreed to some basic standards for stroke rehabilitation. The following standards were deemed to be critical to providing effective stroke rehabilitation care: early assessment and quick access to specialized interdisciplinary rehabilitation, appropriate intensity of therapies, availability of outpatient therapy, appropriate community supports, and careful attention to secondary prevention of stroke. Providing stroke rehabilitation care consistently within these standards remains a challenge, particularly given the potential initial costs, despite significant improvements in patient outcomes and quality of life. Nevertheless, these standards should be the expectation of stroke patients, essentially forming a stroke rehabilitation "bill of rights."
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teasell
authors.forename: Norine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Sanjit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhogal
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagg
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jutai
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000592:standards*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation