Grey-Bruce Health Service's Acute Stroke Unit (ASU) in Owen Sound is celebrating its one year anniversary.
The Acute Stroke Unit is staffed by a team of specialists that include Physicians, Nurses, Physiotherapists, and Speech Language Pathologists and is one of 7 designated stroke centres within the South West Local Health Integration Network.
Grey-Bruce Health has committed to treating more than double the number of patients at the Owen Sound Hospital and since opening in May of 2015, the Acute Stroke Unit at Grey-Bruce Health's Owen Sound site has seen more than 200 stroke patients.
"The ASU has proven to be an excellent addition to our services as a District Stroke Centre for this region," says Lance Thurston, President and CEO of Grey Bruce Health Services. "Patients get the full spectrum of dedicated stroke expertise from the time they enter our ER, to admission into the ASU, progression to our onsite rehabilitation program, and follow-up through our community stroke rehabilitation program once patients leave hospital."
Having the stroke unit staffed by specialists with additional expertise can help reduce mortality by 30%.
"The care I received from the stroke team was excellent," says stroke patient, Ken Priebe. "The team quickly assessed me, took appropriate tests and responded to my stroke symptoms – all while explaining things to me and making me as comfortable as possible every step of the way to recovery."
