Congratulations to Trina Diner, 2023 RBC Innovation Hero of the Year
by Raiili Pellizzari
Trina Diner (right), Manager, Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network, Neurology, Cardiac Diagnostics and Cardiac Rehabilitation, TBRHSC, accepts the 2023 RBC Innovation Hero of the Year award for the development of an app for navigating stroke care in Northwestern Ontario.Trina Diner, Manager, Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network (NWORSN), Neurology, Cardiac Diagnostics and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), is the winner of the 2023 RBC Innovation Hero of the Year award for the development of NWO Navigate Application: an app for navigating stroke care in Northwestern Ontario.
The annual awards, put on by the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, honour innovative businesses, projects and individuals in Northwestern Ontario.
Diner, with team members from NWORSN, Dr. Ayman Hassan and Keli Cristofaro, developed an app in collaboration with various organizations from TBRHSC, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, Lakehead University and ORNGE.
NWO Navigate is an innovative geo-mapping system that promotes evidence-based decision making to support conversations about the transfer of patients to the services needed in a timely manner, thus providing the best care opportunity for patients in Northwestern Ontario.
A coordinated system of care is essential to provide timely access to treatment for patients who present with a suspected acute stroke. In Northwestern Ontario (NWO) limited resources, dispersed geography, multiple transport and communication channels make stroke systems complex. Health care providers, often situated temporarily (locum) or providing care remotely, may lack sufficient knowledge of the most appropriate methods and locations to access care for time-sensitive conditions. This can lead to multiple transfers before reaching definitive stroke care, resulting in poor outcomes and additional cost to the health care system.
The interactive app NWO Navigate, can assist physicians and nurses working to support acute stroke care within health institutions in Northwestern Ontario in making stroke care decisions.
The app provides information to assist decision making when navigating the patient to advanced stroke care. It suggests fastest routing, most appropriate access diagnostic/treatment sites, maps and next steps for assessment and treatment opportunities. It combines all acute protocols, processes and resources into one impactful tool.
Congratulation Trina and the NWO Navigate team for being recognized with the award, and for your incredible work in improving outcomes for stroke patients in Northwestern Ontario.
