Some of the Neurological Rehabilitation and Quality, Risk and Patient Safety teams who helped achieve Stroke Distinction™
After much planning and preparation and a visit from Accreditation Canada surveyors in October, West Park has renewed its Stroke Distinction™ designation, demonstrating the Neurological Rehabilitation service's quality of care and adherence to Accreditation Canada standards and protocols.
West Park Healthcare Centre is a provincial leader in the care and rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from a stroke and our neurological rehabilitation service first received Accreditation Canada’s Stroke Distinction™ status in 2016. In October, while still under pressure as a result of the pandemic, and in the midst of the construction of its new hospital, West Park invited surveyors to conduct this year’s survey, giving the organization an opportunity to renew its Distinction status.
There were many highlights over the course of the survey, but it was the strength and unique make-up of the interprofessional team, established relationships with patients, families and community partners, the team’s excellence and innovation project, and a fulsome and thoughtful approach to discharge that made West Park’s stroke care stand out.
Stroke care at the Centre begins with an interprofessional team that is truly led by the patient and the family, and includes care coordinators, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physicians, physiotherapists, rehabilitation assistants, speech-language pathologists, a communications disorders assistant, registered dietitian, and social worker. The allied health staff aim to provide stroke patients with 180 minutes of daily therapy daily.
During the visit, surveyors noted collaboration with CorHealth Ontario and the Toronto Stroke Network, leveraging support to ensure the use of Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations for the standardization and consistency of stroke services. West Park’s clinicians participate in committees and initiatives led by the Stroke Network to ensure patients are receiving the most up to date and evidence based care.
Collaboration and partnership in program planning, design, and implementation is foundational and members of the Patient Advisory Committee proudly highlighted the involvement of patient partners in planning, designing and evaluating the services and have been engaged in the design of the new hospital.
When speaking with surveyors, patients reported feeling engaged in their care, that families are involved in discharge planning, and that they are supported to transition home with the implementation of a follow-up phone call only days after discharge.
The survey report paints a picture of true collaboration between stakeholders, one of West Park’s organizational values, and the outcome is reason for celebration across the organization.