A local health care system and the University of Windsor are supporting research projects in heart and stroke rehabilitation.
In their inaugural Partners in Research Seed Grant presentation, the university and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare have awarded two grants of $10,000 each to help study the effectiveness of care for stroke survivors. The first grant has been awarded to Dr Susan Fox of the University of Windsor's Faculty of Nursing, and Dr Nathania Liam, the clinical lead of HDGH's rehabilitative programs. They will use the grant money to evaluate stroke care in both hospital and home-based outpatient circumstances throughout Windsor-Essex.
"We know that stroke is one of the common reasons for hospital admissions in Ontario. Locally, it is among the highest in the province," said Fox."What this grant will allow us to do is look at the ongoing rehab needs of patients after they leave acute care or inpatient rehab, and at what setting is best for this to take place."
The second grant has been awarded to a team of local and U.S.-based researchers who are comparing cardiac models of care throughout the Great Lakes central region. Dr. Cheri McGowan, associate professor and kinesiology research coordinator at U of W, said they are trying to find the optimum method of care designed to help as many heart patients as possible.
"We know now that some populations are less likely to enrol in cardiac rehab and are looking at how to maximize uptake to find the ideal model from both an economic and patient care perspective," said McGowan. "This has the potential to help thousands of individuals living in Windsor-Essex and beyond to achieve the best possible outcome."
The grant recipients are funded through the academic research committee, which consists of members from both HDGH and the university. Findings from both studies are expected to be ready by next spring.