Grant: Catalyst Gr.: Partnering for Impact - Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction

As the saying goes: "Time is Brain" in acute stroke, where every minute counts. Rapid recognition and treatment can mean the difference between recovery and disability, especially for severe strokes caused by either large blood clots or bleeding in the brain. Paramedics play a critical role in acute stroke care, but current tools to accurately identify stroke types in the ambulance and guide urgent decisions before hospital arrival remain limited. New innovative diagnostic tools and strategies can transform how a stroke is recognized and managed in the ambulance, but important challenges must first to be addressed to make this possible. The PRECISION-STROKE study aims to build strong partnerships between everyone involved in acute stroke care, including physicians, researchers, paramedics and patient and caregiver-partners, to come together and develop solutions together from the ground up. The project will first build national consensus on the most pressing research needs and barriers in prehospital stroke care through a structured consultation process (Delphi process). Next, the team will design together a proof-of-concept study to test the feasibility of introducing these innovative strategies in the ambulance. Finally, the project will evaluate how well this collaborative approach works to guide future research and implementation. By uniting key stakeholders involved in acute stroke care, the PRECISION-STROKE study will ensure that new solutions for stroke diagnosis and triage in the ambulance are practical, equitable, and scalable across Canada. The ultimate goal is to bring life-saving treatments to patients faster, improving recovery and outcomes nationwide.