Calgary Stroke Program earns special accreditation

Posted June 8, 2010

Calgary Stroke Program medical team cares for patient at the Foothills Medical CentreThe Calgary Stroke Program at Foothills Medical Centre is one of two sites in Canada to earn a Stroke Services Distinction from Accreditation Canada. The other service is at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.

Michael Suddes, manager of the Calgary Stroke Program, Alberta Health Services, says, “We are proud to be associated with an accreditation program that focuses on the importance of innovation and the quality of care we provide to people affected by stroke. I see this program as a milestone in the ongoing management of stroke care at the provincial and national levels.”

Stroke Services Distinction is awarded to health organizations that meet or exceed the best standards of stroke care. “This is a significant achievement for these two institutions and an important step in formalizing the implementation of stroke best practice in the Canadian health-care system,” said Dr. Antoine Hakim, CEO and Scientific Director of the Canadian Stroke Network.

Stroke Services Distinction is the first disease-specific accreditation program in Canada. It was developed by Accreditation Canada and the Canadian Stroke Network to recognize leadership, clinical excellence, and innovation in stroke care. The highly specialized standards, developed in consultation with stakeholders from across the continuum of care, are based on the Canadian Stroke Strategy’s Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care (2008).

As part of the process, health-care centres undergo a rigorous on-site review conducted by experts who have extensive practical experience in the field of stroke. The Distinction program is available to accredited clients of Accreditation Canada. 

“Stroke Services Distinction gives health-care centres an opportunity to look at areas of strength and areas where they can improve stroke services,” says Dr. Patrice Lindsay, the Canadian Stroke Network’s performance and standards specialist. “It makes institutions accountable for the stroke care they provide.”

The Calgary Stroke Program is the first in Canada to receive this award for comprehensive services – recognizing leadership, clinical excellence, and innovation in stroke care across the health continuum.  The program is a collaborative effort between the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. Through this partnership, clinicians and researchers work side by side to provide quality acute, rehabilitative and preventative care to people with stroke and their families.