TY - JOUR
T1 - A Network of Sites and Upskilled Therapists to Deliver Best-Practice Stroke Rehabilitation of the Arm
T2 - Protocol for a Knowledge Translation Study
AU - Carey, Leeanne M.
AU - Cahill, Liana S.
AU - Blennerhassett, Jannette M.
AU - Nilsson, Michael
AU - Lannin, Natasha A.
AU - Thijs, Vincent
AU - Hillier, Susan
AU - Cadilhac, Dominique A.
AU - Donnan, Geoffrey A.
AU - Morris, Meg E.
AU - Churilov, Leonid
AU - Walker, Marion
AU - Ramanathan, Shanthi
AU - Pollack, Michael
AU - May, Esther
AU - Cloud, Geoffrey C.
AU - McGowan, Sharon
AU - Wijeratne, Tissa
AU - Budge, Marc
AU - McKinnon, Fiona
AU - Olver, John
AU - Hogg, Toni
AU - Murray, Michael
AU - Haslam, Brendon
AU - Koukoulas, Irene
AU - Nielsen, Brittni
AU - Mak-Yuen, Yvonne
AU - Turville, Megan
AU - Neilson, Cheryl
AU - Butler, Anna
AU - Kim, Joosup
AU - Matyas, Thomas A.
N1 - Funding Information:
We have created a partnership of survivors of stroke, clinicians, researchers, healthcare organizations, and policy makers to (i) increase access to evidence-based SENSe therapy delivered by therapists via a network of clinical practice settings and specialist SENSe therapy centers, and (ii) improve outcomes for survivors of stroke with somatosensory impairment of the arm/hand. The partnership is supported with a National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership grant from Australia (GNT 1134495), which has allowed us to create a centralized knowledge-translation hub and four specialist therapy centers.
Funding Information:
Funding: This work is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia, Partnership grant (GNT1134495). We also acknowledge funding support for development of SENSe therapy from NHMRC Project grants (GNT191214, GNT307902, GNT1022694), and ongoing development from an NHMRC Ideas grant (GNT2004443) and NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence (GNT1077898). We acknowledge support for L.M.C. from NHMRC (GNT307905); for N.A.L. from Heart Foundation (GNT102055); and for L.S.C., M.T., and Y.M.-Y. from La Trobe University scholarships and Australian Government Research Training Scholarships. The funding bodies do not have any role in the design of the study; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; nor in writing the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Implementation of evidence-informed rehabilitation of the upper limb is variable, and outcomes for stroke survivors are often suboptimal. We established a national partnership of clinicians, survivors of stroke, researchers, healthcare organizations, and policy makers to facilitate change. The objectives of this study are to increase access to best-evidence rehabilitation of the upper limb and improve outcomes for stroke survivors. This prospective pragmatic, knowledge translation study involves four new specialist therapy centers to deliver best-evidence upper-limb sensory rehabilitation (known as SENSe therapy) for survivors of stroke in the community. A knowledge-transfer intervention will be used to upskill therapists and guide implementation. Specialist centers will deliver SENSe therapy, an effective and recommended therapy, to stroke survivors in the community. Outcomes include number of successful deliveries of SENSe therapy by credentialled therapists; improved somatosensory function for stroke survivors; improved performance in self-selected activities, arm use, and quality of life; treatment fidelity and confidence to deliver therapy; and for future implementation, expert therapist effect and cost-effectiveness. In summary, we will determine the effect of a national partnership to increase access to evidence-based upper-limb sensory rehabilitation following stroke. If effective, this knowledge-transfer intervention could be used to optimize the delivery of other complex, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions.
AB - Implementation of evidence-informed rehabilitation of the upper limb is variable, and outcomes for stroke survivors are often suboptimal. We established a national partnership of clinicians, survivors of stroke, researchers, healthcare organizations, and policy makers to facilitate change. The objectives of this study are to increase access to best-evidence rehabilitation of the upper limb and improve outcomes for stroke survivors. This prospective pragmatic, knowledge translation study involves four new specialist therapy centers to deliver best-evidence upper-limb sensory rehabilitation (known as SENSe therapy) for survivors of stroke in the community. A knowledge-transfer intervention will be used to upskill therapists and guide implementation. Specialist centers will deliver SENSe therapy, an effective and recommended therapy, to stroke survivors in the community. Outcomes include number of successful deliveries of SENSe therapy by credentialled therapists; improved somatosensory function for stroke survivors; improved performance in self-selected activities, arm use, and quality of life; treatment fidelity and confidence to deliver therapy; and for future implementation, expert therapist effect and cost-effectiveness. In summary, we will determine the effect of a national partnership to increase access to evidence-based upper-limb sensory rehabilitation following stroke. If effective, this knowledge-transfer intervention could be used to optimize the delivery of other complex, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions.
KW - healthcare services
KW - implementation science
KW - neurological rehabilitation
KW - occupational therapy
KW - physiotherapy
KW - somatosensory
KW - stroke
KW - stroke rehabilitation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178929915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/healthcare11233080
DO - 10.3390/healthcare11233080
M3 - Article
C2 - 38063648
AN - SCOPUS:85178929915
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 11
JO - Healthcare
JF - Healthcare
IS - 23
M1 - 3080
ER -