Using a Stroke Care Observership Approach to Build Understanding of the Cross-Continuum Experience for Persons with Stroke and Aphasia Among Stroke Teams

During the months of February to May 2015, the Aphasia Institute and St. John’s Rehab, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, participated in the Toronto Stroke Networks’ Transition Improvement for Continuity of Care (TICC) Stroke Care Observership program exchange.

This involved the Aphasia Institute hosting a visit of the inpatient and outpatient stroke teams from St. John’s Rehab to support knowledge exchange on best practices in communication screening, assessments and strategies.  This program also provided St. John’s Rehab clinicians the opportunity to interact with persons with stroke and their families to learn more about their experiences post discharge.  In addition, as part of the observership approach, St. John’s Rehab hosted two visits for Aphasia Institute staff to observe and interact with persons with stroke in inpatient and outpatient rehab settings.

Overall, these Stroke Care Observerships provided opportunities for knowledge exchange,   enriched learning of each other’s care environments, enabled enhanced collaboration between sites, and fostered a new awareness and deeper understanding of the person with stroke’s journey across the continuum and the potential for delivery of enhanced, seamless care.

For more information on Stroke Care Observerships, please contact the Toronto Stroke Networks at moc.ekortsotnull@ofni.

Staff from St. John’s Rehab and the Aphasia Institute during one of their Stroke Care Observership sessions.

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