Using AI to support faster stroke care for Coastal patients

When it comes to stroke diagnosis and treatment, timing is everything: for every minute delay in treatment, 1.9 million brain cells are lost.

Within VCH, EVT is only available at VGH, which creates care challenges for patients from Coastal communities who need specialized stroke treatment.

“We want to make sure that following a stroke, individuals living in our Coastal communities get access to the care they need quickly," says Kelly Sharp, Regional Stroke Lead. “A brilliant team across VCH is piloting an exciting initiative that will expand the use of AI-driven imaging software to our Coastal hospitals. This technology will quickly analyze CT scans, determining the severity of a stroke and alerting VGH neurologists right away if EVT is needed."

The diverse team, including stroke neurology, emergency department physicians and staff, radiology, medical imaging, and other key partners across the VCH region, will collaborate to support:

• Patient-centred care. Coastal patients will receive the right care at the right place at the right time.
• Patient outcomes. Minimizing the time to treatment is critical for preventing brain damage and improving recovery.
• Access to specialized care. Enabling local hospitals to collaborate with VGH specialists will ensure patients receive specialized treatment as soon as possible.
• Equity in health care. Indigenous populations and remote communities face a higher risk of stroke. Now rural and remote hospitals can provide more equitable access to stroke diagnosis and treatment.
• Provider experience. Using AI can positively affect neurologists' experience, helping them make faster and better-informed decisions.
• Use of health-care resources. Only those who are confirmed as candidates for EVT will be transferred from Coastal to VGH, freeing up emergency transport for other critical cases.
• System and environmental savings. Reducing unnecessary patient transfers relieves the burden on the health-care system and also reduces costs and environmental impacts from ground and air transport. 

This project has generous funding support from the Vancouver Coastal Health–Boehringer Ingelheim Innovation Fund​ and the VGH + UBC Hospital Foundation, and the Lions Gate, Sechelt and Powell River Hospital Foundations. We'll be sharing updates on this project so check back for news.