Royal Philips and the World Stroke Organization (WSO) have announced the signing of a two-year partnership aimed at improving access to high-quality stroke care.
Building on their shared commitment to delivering improvements in stroke prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and support, Philips and the WSO will leverage their respective strengths to elevate the public understanding of stroke as a global health issue—starting with joint initiatives on World Stroke Day 2023 (29 October) to build greater public awareness and, ultimately, improve stroke patient outcomes.
“We strongly believe that the advocacy, awareness and implementation of stroke care required is not possible by the World Stroke Organization alone, so partnering with industry is one of our strategies for raising stroke awareness,” said WSO president-elect Jeyaraj Pandian (Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India). “World Stroke Day is one example of how partnering with industry has already helped us create awareness.”
As per a Philips press release, the company will also work with the WSO to support the implementation of innovative treatment methods with the potential to transform the stroke care pathway, where reducing the time between symptom onset and effective treatment is “critical” to improving patient outcomes.
“WSO is committed to accelerating the global implementation of evidence-based treatment and care for stroke patients globally,” said WSO president Sheila Martins (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil), announcing the partnership. “We know what works and we know that it takes every part of the healthcare system, working together to bring quality care to every patient.”
“Both innovation and public awareness are essential to improve time to treatment and access to care for patients suffering a stroke,” added Atul Gupta, chief medical officer of image-guided therapy at Philips. “Working closely with WSO, we can further shape the future of neurovascular interventions, and help provide ground-breaking and effective high-quality care to patients so they can resume normal life after a stroke.”
To improve access to high-quality care that reduces the burden stroke places on individuals, and the financial and social impact it has on society, Philips and the WSO plan to collaborate across a range of stroke-related areas. These include driving advocacy and policy based on the latest clinical research and treatment guidelines to inform government departments and healthcare providers about the latest developments in stroke treatment, and supporting community engagement.
