Current state
Neurology and Neurosurgery have been a major clinical and research strength at SickKids. Both are world leaders in their respective domains in terms of academic activity and clinical outcomes of their patients, particularly in epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, headaches, neurometabolic disease, hydrocephalus, and brain tumors.
An example of how a multidisciplinary approach brought to bear on the problems of a single child can have a profoundly beneficial effect on the outcome of that child is the Epilepsy Surgery Program where patients and families can now receive all aspects of their care - from the testing phase to surgery - on one unit with one team working together
The collaboration of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Diagnostic Imaging, Psychology, and Psychiatry contributes largely to how successful this program has become. The 2005 amalgamation of the Neurology and Neurosurgery clinical programs greatly strengthened and synergized the working relationships between these two programs. The recent addition of Psychiatry to the cluster has now opened the door to new working relationships - facilitated through the Centre for Brain and Behaviour - between Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. The addition of Psychiatry will add a new dimension to our ability to improve our patient outcomes by the development of new models of care which will help ensure that psychosocial needs are addressed in a systematic way.
Potential linkages between all three clinical programs where expertise can be shared are already being considered. One example is knowledge transfer of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques for anxiety treatment from Psychiatry staff to front line staff in Neurology and Neurosurgery. Strengthened through the centre, this type of activity will be more easily facilitated through the formal integration of these three clinical programs.
Externally to SickKids, the centre is already focused on creating paediatric-to-adult continuums of care. An example of this is through the proposed Centre of Excellence for Epilepsy with the University Health Network (UHN) which will be invaluable in facilitating a collaborative model of care for patients of all ages with epilepsy. The transition from paediatric care at SickKids to adult care at UHN will be seamless, providing patients with epilepsy state of the art care in Ontario. This concept is currently being proposed to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) through UHN.
Ultimately, the Centre for Brain and Behaviour will translate knowledge into value; build and capitalize on its relationships with its internal and external members; ensure growth, evolvement, new discoveries and a place where the world's best talent will be attracted and flourish - crucial to strengthening SickKids' leadership role in the Paediatric Neurosciences. In the final analysis, we aim to achieve our goal of improving the health, quality of life, and well being of children with diseases of the brain by creating and supporting unique multidisciplinary collaborations and fostering and facilitating continuous crosstalk amongst our diverse multidisciplinary constituency.