First-Ever Manifesto Calls Canadian Health Sector to Transform Life-Long Care for People Living with Spinal Cord Injury

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Newswise TORONTO, October 2, 2014 Leading Canadian spinal cord injury (SCI) experts have launched the unprecedented Spinal Cord Injury: A Manifesto for Changea call to action and a plea for Canadian health-care providers and stakeholders to work in coordination to improve care and the health of people living with SCI in Canada.

The Manifesto, based on the consensus of 23 experts, outlines the long-term issues for people living with SCI: secondary health concerns; increased need and utilization of health-care services; and disparate access to care, services and expertise.

It presents four necessary actions to transform SCI health-care delivery for three health problems: pressure ulcers, fractures and cardiovascular disease. These conditions are associated with significant burden of illness and in extreme cases, risk of death among people with SCI.

A huge gap in Canada is that these secondary conditions are not being recognized or managed in an appropriate setting, said Dr. Cathy Craven, lead author and physiatrist, Toronto Rehab, UHN. Too often people with these complex conditions seek out urgent care, present to the ER, or are unnecessarily hospitalized.

The Manifesto lays out an action plan that needs to be taken by the Canadian SCI health sector collectively. This will augment the health and reduce the personal burden and societal resources required for living with a chronic SCI.

Living with a spinal cord injury is challenging enough, said Paul Peer, father and husband living with SCI. But being paralyzed also means dealing with complications, like pressure ulcers, fractures and cardiovascular problems. Ive fractured my leg, and experienced first-hand the perils of osteoporosis at a young age.

The access to care and services for people living with SCI is not equal across Canada, said Dr. Craven. We would like to change that. We have learned a great deal from development of specialty outpatient services within SCI programs like Toronto Rehabs skin and wound clinic, post fracture care and non-invasive cardiovascular screening. These can be adopted across the country for a coordinated and consistent approach to SCI health-care delivery.

To transform SCI care over the next five years, the following four action items will need to be carried out:

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First-Ever Manifesto Calls Canadian Health Sector to Transform Life-Long Care for People Living with Spinal Cord Injury