The North Wellington Stroke Recovery Team recently met with health providers from Waterloo Wellington Stroke Stream of Care (WWSSC) to update and discuss strategies for providing and improving stroke rehabilitation to patients in the rural areas of Wellington County.
Specifically, the WWSSC is seeking to formally integrate all stroke-related health services under one umbrella through the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network.
The teams met at The Palmerston United Church on March 1, and discussed four key strategies:
– more timely emergency care when stroke symptoms first appear;
– better and more timely access to specialized in hospital care;
– better access to intensive stroke rehabilitative care; and
– stronger community services and supported transition.
In the Waterloo Wellington area, more than 860 patients experience a stroke every year yet research in this area has shown that, due to the current fragmented system, fewer stroke patents are accessing in-patient rehabilitative care.
A question and answer period followed.
The meeting was one of several seminars being held throughout Wellington County. Local March of Dimes team members were also present.
