Three hospitals in Midwestern Ontario will be part of the South West Stroke Project.
The South West Local Health Integration Network is realigning stroke care to ensure people who have a stroke or mini-stroke receive the best possible care, with the best chance for a full recovery.
The designated stroke centres are the Owen Sound Hospital, Stratford General Hospital, and Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich. Other stroke centres within the South West LHIN are in London, Woodstock and St. Thomas.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of a stroke should call 911 immediately. EMS will take patients to the nearest designated stroke centre.
A designated stroke team consists of experts who provide acute stroke unit care, inpatient stroke rehabilitation, community rehabilitation programs, and a variety of stroke services including speech, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietetics, social work, stroke education.
In the announcement, South West LHIN CEO Michael Barrett stated, "Stroke survivors have the best outcomes when they are cared for in a centre that specializes in stroke services and provides best practice care. These changes to how we deliver stroke care are helping to reduce mortality and improve the outcomes of stroke survivors throughout our geography."