Stroke program receives national accreditation

Prince Edward Island’s Stroke Care Program is among the first in the country to be recognized by Accreditation Canada with Distinction in Stroke Service status, meeting national standards for stroke care excellence.

Achieving Distinction indicates that Health PEI’s Stroke Care Program has demonstrated national leadership in the provision of high-quality stroke care to Islanders.  Accreditation Canada’s Distinction program is a voluntary process that takes place every four years. 

“I extend my sincere congratulations to the Stroke Care Program staff and community partners on their hard work and commitment to achieving national recognition for a program that is changing the lives of hundreds of Islanders and their families every year,” Health and Wellness Minister Robert Mitchell said. “This program is a wonderful example of our commitment to supporting Islanders with services that meet, and strive to exceed, national standards of care.”

As part of the accreditation process, Accreditation Canada’s team of surveyors, all experts in their respective health care fields, visited Prince Edward Island last summer to assess the stroke program on three sets of standards of care: 

• Providing an integrated system of services to people with stroke;  
• Acute stroke services;  
• In-patient stroke rehabilitation services 

“Earning Distinction in Stroke Service status is a significant achievement and confirms that Islanders are indeed receiving excellent stroke care,” said Trish Helm-Neima, provincial stroke program coordinator. “A stroke can be a life-changing experience for our patients and their families, and we are fortunate to have an incredible team of health care providers who work together to ensure our patients are able to enjoy a quality of life that they deserve following a stroke.” 

In its report, Accreditation Canada noted, “The leadership is strong and their leadership is inclusive and participatory, they mobilize their teams and successfully obtain engagement and collaboration.  It has been expressed by the patients that the staff at all levels are passionate and deeply committed to the well-being of their patients.” 

Overall, the Stroke Care Program met seven out of nine required core acute performance indicators, all four in-patient rehabilitation and two optional indicators to achieve Distinction in Stroke Service Status. Additionally, the Queen Elizabeth and Prince County Hospitals met 100 per cent of the required protocols, as did the patient and family education services. The provincial tele-stroke rehabilitation service, assessed by Accreditation Canada as an Excellence and Innovation Project, also met all criteria. 

On Prince Edward Island, approximately four out of every 1,000 Islanders will suffer their first stroke each year. Over 470 Islanders suffered a stroke/TIA last year and more than 4,500 Islanders living today are stroke survivors. 

For more information about the program, visit PEI’s Stroke Care Program.

Media contact:

Amanda Hamel

Senior Communications Officer

Health PEI

(902) 368-6135

ajhamel@gov.pe.ca   

Background: 

About Accreditation Canada Distinction Program: 

The Accreditation Canada Distinction Program recognizes organizations that demonstrate clinical excellence and an outstanding commitment to leadership in a specific field of expertise. 

The program is developed in close consultation with key stakeholders and content experts to reflect detailed practices and the most-up-to-date evidence. It offers rigorous and highly specialized standards of excellence, in-depth performance indicators and protocols, and an on-site survey by expert evaluators with extensive practical experience in the field. The program includes and on-site survey every four years. 

About PEI Stroke Care Program: 

Implemented in 2010, the provincial Stroke Care Program improves patient outcomes after a stroke. It promotes a coordinated approach with early assessment, mobilization and rehabilitation for every patient who can benefit. More specifically, it provides information, education and support related to: 

• stroke prevention
• emergency stroke care
• in-patient stroke care
• stroke rehabilitation
• stroke care navigation