Assessing the impact of secondary prevention clinics (SPCs) in the Province of Ontario.

Although a systematic approach to acute treatment in stroke units has proven to be highly effective, no such evaluation of the impact of stroke prevention clinics has ever been done. Our study will provide the first systematic evaluation of this approach, establish a baseline for further evaluations and yield data for health policy decisions. Patients who suffer from recent Transient Ischemic Attach (TIA) and non-disabling stroke are at high risk of having further and more severe strokes. However, to date we know very little about how to best manage these patients so that their stroke risk is reduced. Since 1999 the Ontario Stroke Strategy (OSS) has been funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to help ensure Ontarians have access to the best possible stroke care across the province. As part of this strategy 19 Stroke Prevention Clinics (SPC) were designated to see patients following TIA in a timely manner, and to allow for early assessment, diagnosis and treatment, within a comprehensive, cost-efficient organized model of service delivery. However, to date these clinics have not been assessed and standards of care have not yet been developed. This study will address this gap by conducting research aimed at understanding the impact of these clinics and to determine predictors of good outcome. This research will provide important new information for policymakers and care providers on the relative effectiveness of the secondary prevention clinic as a model for reducing costs, facilitating timely access to diagnosis and treatment and improving patient outcomes both in Ontario and across the country.