A strategic initiative to facilitate knowledge translation research in rehabilitation

Katherine Montpetit-Tourangeau,Dahlia Kairy,Sara Ahmed,Aliki Thomas,Dana Anaby,Annie Rochette,Marie-Ève Lamontagne,André Bussières,Keiko Shikako-Thomas

doi:10.1186/s12913-020-05772-8

Abstract

BackgroundWhile there is a growing body of literature supporting clinical decision-making for rehabilitation professionals, suboptimal use of evidence-based practices in that field persists. A strategic initiative that ensures the relevance of the research and its implementation in the context of rehabilitation could 1) help improve the coordination of knowledge translation (KT) research and 2) enhance the delivery of evidence-based rehabilitation services offered to patients with physical disabilities. This paper describes the process and methods used to develop a KT strategic initiative aimed at building capacity and coordinating KT research in physical rehabilitation and its strategic plan; it also reports the initial applications of the strategic plan implementation.MethodsWe used a 3-phase process consisting of an online environmental scan to identify the extent of KT research activities in physical rehabilitation in Quebec, Canada. Data from the environmental scan was used to develop a strategic plan that structures KT research in physical rehabilitation. Seven external KT experts in health science reviewed the strategic plan for consistency and applicability.ResultsSixty-four KT researchers were identified and classified according to the extent of their level of involvement in KT. Ninety-six research projects meeting eligibility criteria were funded by eight of the fourteen agencies and organizations searched. To address the identified gaps, a 5-year strategic plan was developed, containing a mission, a vision, four main goals, nine strategies and forty-two actions.ConclusionSuch initiatives can help guide researchers and relevant key stakeholders, to structure, organize and advance KT research in the field of rehabilitation. The strategies are being implemented progressively to meet the strategic initiative’s mission and ultimately enhance users’ rehabilitation services.

Highlights

While there is a growing body of literature supporting clinical decision-making for rehabilitation professionals, suboptimal use of evidence-based practices in that field persists
This paper reports on the development and outcomes of the Knowledge Translation Strategic Initiative in Rehabilitation in Quebec (KTSIRQ)
Phase 2A: strategic planning Based on the collective expertise of the research group members in knowledge translation (KT) research in rehabilitation and drawing on the preliminary results from the environmental scan (Additional file 5), we developed a 5-year strategic plan to facilitate and support KT researchers in physical rehabilitation

Summary

Introduction

While there is a growing body of literature supporting clinical decision-making for rehabilitation professionals, suboptimal use of evidence-based practices in that field persists. Participation in research and close proximity between researchers and clinicians, student supervision and collaborative practice environments are factors found to facilitate research use [27,28,29,30]. Organizational determinants such as leadership style, social capital and the availability of resources [31,32,33] can influence clinicians’ uptake of evidence-based practice (EBP). Studies conducted in rehabilitation suggest that systems-level changes and shifts in the organization’s paradigm, such as involving rehabilitation professionals in the research teams, can reduce the aforementioned barriers and promote a culture of EBP [27, 34,35,36]

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion