Integrated Stroke Strategy - Sunrise Health Region Pilot Project - December 17, 2008
Saskatchewan is moving forward with a new strategy that will save lives and prevent disability for many people who suffer a stroke. Sunrise Health Region launched a pilot project with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Health.
December 17, 2007 News Release
Vision - The vision of the Saskatchewan Integrated Stroke Strategy is a decreased incidence and impact of stroke in Saskatchewan.
Goal - The goal of the Saskatchewan Integrated Stroke Strategy (SISS) is the development and implementation of an integrated stroke strategy for Saskatchewan by 2010.
SISS Steering Committee Membership
SISS Steering Committee Terms of Reference
SISS Working Groups:
- Health Promotion, Primary and Secondary Prevention
- Pre-hospital, Emergency, and Acute
- Rehabilitation and Community Re-engagement
- Information, Evaluation and Registry
Never Giving Up: Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Perspectives on the Road to Recovery from Stroke - in the Fall of 2004, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan commissioned qualitative study of the “lived experience of stroke”. The purpose of this study was to include the voice of Saskatchewan stroke survivors and their caregivers in the developmental work leading to a Saskatchewan Integrated Stroke Strategy. To view the full study, please click here
In June 2003, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Stroke Network came together with a vision that, by the year 2010, every province and territory in Canada would have a coordinated and integrated strategy for stroke prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and community re-engagement. This led to the creation of the Canadian Stroke Strategy which would support the work of the provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation offices in the development of these strategies within each province.
In November 2003, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan Board of Directors mandated staff to take a leadership role in advocating for the development of a comprehensive stroke strategy for the province. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan then committed leadership and dedicated staff time to developing a stroke strategy for Saskatchewan.
In September 2005, the Saskatchewan Integrated Stroke Strategy Steering Committee met for the first time. This was followed by a provincial stroke conference "Innovations in Stroke Prevention and Care" which was held in November 2005. Following this conference, the steering committee had an opportunity to meet with Debra Lynkowski of the Canadian Stroke Strategy, and Chris O'Callaghan with the Ontario Stroke Strategy.
In February 2006, the Stroke Strategy Steering Committee met again and established expert Working Groups. These Working Groups were asked to develop recommendations across the continuum of stroke care. These recommendations will form a substantial part of the advocacy document that will be presented to the provincial government.
In March 2006 these Working Groups began arranging their first meetings to begin their work. By mid-May 2006, all Working Groups had held their initial meetings, discussed how to proceed with the necessary work, developed sub-groups to divide up the task, and set timelines for completion. All Working Groups also discussed or planned a second meeting in June 2006 to begin pulling together a first draft.
In June 2006, all Working Groups met and began finalizing their draft recommendations. This work continued over the summer months and into the fall via email and teleconference.
In September, 2006 a delegation from the Canadian Stroke Strategy, the Canadian Stroke Network and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan met with the CEOs and senior managers from the Regina Qu’Appelle, Five Hills, and Saskatoon Health Regions to discuss the progress of a stroke strategy development to date across Canada and in Saskatchewan and to gain their commitment to leading further developments in their respective regions. Meetings were also held with senior officials of the Primary Care, Population Health, and Emergency and Acute branches of Saskatchewan Health. Following the success of these meetings, HSFS staff began planning to meet with CEOs and senior management of the remaining Saskatchewan Health Regions to build commitment to a provincial stroke strategy
On November 4, 2006, the Saskatchewan Integrated Stroke Strategy Steering Committee met
again to review the draft documents developed by the Working Groups and to begin discussion on issues related to advocacy. Committee members identified the most salient points of the Working Group recommendations and made suggestions for additional input, questions, or changes. Work continues on these documents.
Also in November 2006, a consultant, Colleen Zubkow, was hired by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan, to begin work on the advocacy document which will include the Working Group recommendations. Work is ongoing.