Sunnybrook awarded Stroke Distinction by Accreditation Canada

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre has been awarded Stroke Distinction by Accreditation Canada for its excellence in stroke care and teams at its Bayview and St. John’s Rehab campuses. This is the first year Sunnybrook has entered the process for Stroke Distinction and the positive outcome highlights our team’s leadership and commitment to high-quality stroke care.

"We’re incredibly proud of the life-saving work our dynamic stroke teams across the organization provide to patients,” says Dr. Andy Smith, President & CEO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “The Stroke Distinction is a testament to their commitment to care and will elevate our leadership in excellence in specialized stroke care."

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Canada. For patients experiencing stroke, timely, coordinated and safe standards of care shape their future. Accreditation Canada’s Stroke Distinction Program recognizes organizations that consistently deliver high‑quality stroke care.

This distinction will advance the timely intervention and post-stroke care provided across several Sunnybrook care programs and campuses.

Sunnybrook is one of 11 regional stroke centres in Ontario and delivers emergency stroke care within the North and East GTA Stroke Network. The dedicated 24/7 stroke team help patients with suspected stroke symptoms receive immediate, hyperacute treatments, such as thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy. Sunnybrook’s Neurovascular Unit (NVU) is a dedicated inpatient stroke unit that offers multiple levels of care, including advanced stroke treatment, assessment and continuous monitoring.

When experiencing stroke, immediate intervention is critical for positive patient outcomes. However, for most patients with stroke experience, that is only the beginning of their care journey. Sunnybrook is also leading care in stroke prevention and rehabilitation, advancing its commitment to ensuring patients have the care they need in and out of hospital.

The Sunnybrook Regional Secondary Stroke Prevention and Rapid TIA clinics provide patients with specialized assessments, diagnostics and individualized treatment plans to reduce further stroke risk.

Sunnybrook’s St. John’s Rehab campus is home to a Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation program, providing specialized inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care for patients across the GTA and Northeastern Ontario. The interprofessional stroke teams at St. John’s Rehab work with patients to create individualized, goal-oriented and aphasia-friendly rehabilitation programs post-stroke, to support maximum recovery and facilitate safe transitions back into the community.

With Accreditation Canada’s Stroke Distinction, Sunnybrook continues to enhance stroke care through the dedication and commitment of collaborative teams, comprehensive care initiatives and innovative models of care, so that patients are supported every step of their journey.