Stroke Centre of Excellence
A seamless stroke care experience for patients in Scarborough.
Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is transforming care for our community by looking at how best to deliver our services to provide the highest quality, specialized care — and we are excited for our new Stroke Centre of Excellence at Birchmount hospital. For the first time, patients and families have access to seamless stroke care service here in our Scarborough community.
Now open
SHN proudly opened the doors to the new Stroke Centre of Excellence at our Birchmount hospital on April 8, 2020, fulfilling a promise we made to our community almost seven months ago. We are pleased to share details around what the new Centre looks like and how services are delivered.
The Stroke Centre of Excellence is located on the 4th floor at SHN's Birchmount hospital
INTEGRATED STROKE UNIT
The Stroke Centre is built around a new Integrated Stroke Unit. This is best practice for treating stroke patients who have been hospitalized. Patients get specialized medical care and can be transitioned into rehabilitation all within the same space, without having to move from unit to unit. This means faster service, less time spent in the hospital, and better recovery and quality of life when patients return home.
FEATURES
22 beds for specialized, acute stroke care and rehabilitation services
A gym for occupational and physical therapy
An enhanced lounge to help patients to become more mobile and get back to daily activities, such as dining and recreation
Contact information
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Phone: 416-495-2538 ext. 4238
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Fax: 416-495-2623
STROKE PREVENTION CLINIC
The Stroke Centre at Birchmount also includes an outpatient Stroke Prevention Clinic that helps to support patients in managing their risk factors for stroke.
FEATURES
For patients who have had a “mini” or “warning” stroke known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or have symptoms of TIA
Open five days a week
Provides consultations, and partners with SHN’s emergency departments and family physicians in the community
Contact information
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Phone: 416-495-2558
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Fax: 416-495-2581
DEDICATED STROKE CARE TEAM
Stroke care at the Centre are delivered through a coordinated, interprofessional approach. The stroke care team includes:
Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Rehab Assistants, Speech Language Therapists, Nurse Practitioners, Social Workers, Pharmacists, Dietitians, and Spiritual Care
Physicians specialists in Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Physiatry
Accessing Stroke Care
If you think that you or someone you’re with is having a stroke, call 911 immediately for emergency services. The ambulance will get you to the hospital for care the fastest. Signs of stroke include drooping in your face, difficulty raising your arms, slurring of your speech.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will get you where you need to go:
- Effective April 8, acute stroke patients will be taken to the Stroke Centre at Birchmount hospital (until then, patients are taken to the closest emergency department)
- Hyperacute stroke patients will be taken to a regional stroke centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre or Unity Health – St. Michael’s Hospital
Stroke patients in the Emergency Departments at SHN’s Centenary and General hospitals will get rapid treatment and assessment.
- Acute stroke patients who are a fit for the Integrated Stroke Unit, will be transferred and admitted to the Stroke Centre at Birchmount (effective April 8)
- Minor stroke patients (who have experienced a transient ischemic attack or TIA) will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment with the Stroke Prevention Clinic
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