Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Showing posts with label 'recommendations'. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 'recommendations'. Show all posts

Saturday, December 14, 2024

International Exercise Recommendations in Older Adults (ICFSR): Expert Consensus Guidelines

 Did your competent? doctor get you recovered enough to be able to do these exercises? NO? So, you DON'T have a functioning stroke doctor, do you? Why hasn't that person been fired yet? Board of directors incompetence in setting goals for the stroke department? And these are guidelines NOT PROTOCOLS. So mostly useless.

International Exercise Recommendations in Older Adults (ICFSR): Expert Consensus Guidelines


You have full access to thisopen accessarticle

The journal of nutrition, health & agingDid your competent? doctor get you recovered enough to be able to do these exercises?NO? So. you DON'T have a functioning stroke doctor, do you? Why hasn't that person been fired yet? Board of directors incompetence in setting goals for the stroke department?

Abstract

The human ageing process is universal, ubiquitous and inevitable. Every physiological function is being continuously diminished. There is a range between two distinct phenotypes of ageing, shaped by patterns of living - experiences and behaviours, and in particular by the presence or absence of physical activity (PA) and structured exercise (i.e., a sedentary lifestyle). Ageing and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with declines in muscle function and cardiorespiratory fitness, resulting in an impaired capacity to perform daily activities and maintain independent functioning. However, in the presence of adequate exercise/PA these changes in muscular and aerobic capacity with age are substantially attenuated. Additionally, both structured exercise and overall PA play important roles as preventive strategies for many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and obesity; improvement of mobility, mental health, and quality of life; and reduction in mortality, among other benefits. Notably, exercise intervention programmes improve the hallmarks of frailty (low body mass, strength, mobility, PA level, energy) and cognition, thus optimising functional capacity during ageing. In these pathological conditions exercise is used as a therapeutic agent and follows the precepts of identifying the cause of a disease and then using an agent in an evidence-based dose to eliminate or moderate the disease. Prescription of PA/structured exercise should therefore be based on the intended outcome (e.g., primary prevention, improvement in fitness or functional status or disease treatment), and individualised, adjusted and controlled like any other medical treatment. In addition, in line with other therapeutic agents, exercise shows a dose-response effect and can be individualised using different modalities, volumes and/or intensities as appropriate to the health state or medical condition. Importantly, exercise therapy is often directed at several physiological systems simultaneously, rather than targeted to a single outcome as is generally the case with pharmacological approaches to disease management. There are diseases for which exercise is an alternative to pharmacological treatment (such as depression), thus contributing to the goal of deprescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMS). There are other conditions where no effective drug therapy is currently available (such as sarcopenia or dementia), where it may serve a primary role in prevention and treatment. Therefore, this consensus statement provides an evidence-based rationale for using exercise and PA for health promotion and disease prevention and treatment in older adults. Exercise prescription is discussed in terms of the specific modalities and doses that have been studied in randomised controlled trials for their effectiveness in attenuating physiological changes of ageing, disease prevention, and/or improvement of older adults with chronic disease and disability. Recommendations are proposed to bridge gaps in the current literature and to optimise the use of exercise/PA both as a preventative medicine and as a therapeutic agent.

Monday, November 11, 2024

Effectiveness of virtual reality-based rehabilitation on the upper extremity motor function of stroke patients: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

 Stroke research should provide EXACT PROTOCOLS! Not lazy 'recommendations'!

Effectiveness of virtual reality-based rehabilitation on the upper extremity motor function of stroke patients: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction

Upper extremity deficits (UED) is a common and impactful complication among stroke survivors. Virtual reality (VR)-based rehabilitation holds potential for enhancing rehabilitation intensity and engagement by stimulating tasks. While several clinical studies have examined the effectiveness and safety of VR-based rehabilitation, there is a need for further research to improve consistency in outcomes.

Materials and methods

The study will incorporate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the effects of VR-based rehabilitation on upper extremity (UE) function in stroke survivors. A comprehensive search of databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Cinahl, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan-fang, and Chinese Biology Medicine Database will be performed from inception to the start of the study. Primary outcomes will focus on upper limb motor function assessments such as the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FMUE), Box and Block Test (BBT), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). Secondary outcomes related to activities of daily living will include the Barthel Index (BI) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Research selection, data extraction, and quality assessment will be independently conducted by two researchers. The recently revised Cochrane risk of bias tool will be employed to evaluate study quality. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses will be utilized to identify effective therapy delivery modes and patterns. The assessment, development, and evaluation of recommendations approach will be applied to achieve a robust conclusion.

Discussion

This study provides a rigorous synthesis to evaluate optimal parameters—specifically intensity and duration—for VR-based rehabilitation interventions aimed at enhancing UE function in stroke survivors. Our secondary objective is to assess the impact of these parameters on rehabilitation outcomes. We anticipate an accurate, transparent, and standardized review process that will yield evidence-based recommendations for integrating VR technology into treating upper extremity dysfunction in stroke patients, offering clinicians effective strategies to enhance upper limb function.

Introduction

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting almost 14 million people annually [1, 2]. While stroke mortality rates show a declining trend, the number of individuals experiencing the consequences of stroke is increasing due to population growth and ageing [3]. This upward trend has led to substantial, enduring disabilities in adults [4].

Approximately 75% of stroke survivors will demonstrate enduring deficits in motor control of their arm and hand, leading to enormous personal and societal consequences [5]. This increase in the number of stroke survivors highlights the growing need for rehabilitation services [6]. A common and severe disabling complication of stroke is UED [7]. These deficits persist partly due to the failure of current nonrepresentational approaches to substantially reduce upper-limb impairment [8]. Common manifestations of UED include loss of strength, reduced flexibility, abnormal cooperative interaction incursion, and muscle tension disorders [9]. These impairments can cause disabilities in common activities such as reaching, picking up objects, and holding onto objects [10].

Moreover, the restoration of UE function is a complex process with poor prognoses [11], which significantly affects patients’ independence in daily activities and greatly reduces their quality of life. This places a considerable burden on both families and society. Consequently, it is crucial to enhance the functional capacity of the UE and promote greater levels of independence in individuals after a stroke. Contemporary clinical strategies for UE rehabilitation rely on fostering neuroplasticity post-brain impairments [12]. Intensive and extensive task-specific training emphasizing numerous repetitions, has emerged as crucial in motor therapy following a stroke [13].

According to the guideline, postural training and task-oriented upper limb training have the potential to positively influence on upper limb motor control [14]. Currently, the field of neurorehabilitation encompasses several technologies that hold promise for addressing various neurological dysfunctions [15]. Among these, VR stands out as an innovative intervention in rehabilitation nursing, offering an enriched environment conducive to task-specific training and delivering multimodal feedback to promote functional recovery [16]. VR interventions for motor impairments showed positive rehabilitative effects in stroke survivors [17]. The three fundamental concepts of VR are immersion, imagination, and interaction [18]. Patients can immerse themselves in simulated scenarios, interact with their environment by engaging imagery, and receive real-time feedback, fostering immersive experiences conducive to motor rehabilitation. In parallel with usual rehabilitation therapy programs, VR not only supplements existing strategies but also motivates patients to engage in more purposeful practices, thereby intensifying the effectiveness of targeted movements.

However, there is still no consensus in the field of UE rehabilitation regarding the specific types, duration, and intensity of VR training required to assess its clinical effectiveness [19]. Moreover, a previous meta-analysis indicated a significant increase in the utilization of VR-based training for UE rehabilitation, resulting in varied outcomes. To effectively assess the impact of VR training in improving upper limb dysfunction post-stroke, it is essential to establish a comprehensive and standardized protocol for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Our primary objective is to develop this standardized protocol to assess the effectiveness of VR-based rehabilitation in enhancing upper limb motor function among adult stroke survivors. Additionally, we aim to investigate the intensity and duration of VR interventions to optimize outcomes related to upper limb functionality. The positive findings from this study may prompt further research into the optimal dosing of VR training, ultimately advancing clinical practice for stroke rehabilitation and contributing to future clinical practice guidelines.


More at link.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Time to Stop Routine Anesthesia for Stroke Thrombectomy?

 Well, when this question is answered then write it up as a protocol and deliver it to all stroke hospitals and doctors.  Then if you don't follow the protocol you would have to objectively state why, thus improving or changing the protocol as needed.

Time to Stop Routine Anesthesia for Stroke Thrombectomy?

Neurologists debate pandemic-related guidelines(THAT is the whole problem in a nutshell, you are talking guidelines NOT PROTOCOLS!)

For mechanical thrombectomy stroke patients, consensus guidelines favoring general anesthesia over conscious sedation during the pandemic might need revisiting.

That was the argument presented at the virtual International Stroke Conference (ISC) in a debate over what should be the first-line strategy.

Conscious sedation minimizes delays to treatment, which have been a problem for COVID-19 patients, and provides at least as good outcomes, argued Tudor Jovin, MD, of the Cooper Neurological Institute in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

He pointed to a prospective study of the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry (STAR) and Endovascular Neurosurgery Research Group (ENRG) registries showing that 53% of thrombectomy patients who underwent general anesthesia during the pandemic had longer door to reperfusion times (138 vs 100 minutes) and nearly double the mortality risk, as well as lower functional independence scores at discharge.

Part of the problem might have been that "the majority of sites were not intubating most patients for [mechanical thrombectomy] prior to the pandemic, but rather did so following scientific society recommendations,"(recommendations are not protocols, learn the difference.) the authors wrote in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery.

Before the pandemic, U.S. centers' preference for general anesthesia versus sedation during mechanical thrombectomy was evenly split.

A more recent international survey found that half of centers reported some changes in anesthetic management during the pandemic.

Early in the pandemic, the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC) released a consensus statement that called for individualization of the approach, but with a lower threshold for using general anesthesia than before.

At the time, patients had to be presumed positive for SARS-CoV-2 without rapid test availability. Intubating was seen as a means of protecting the healthcare team from exposure, noted Deepak Sharma, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle and lead author on the SNACC guidelines.

However, competing recommendations from the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) in April emphasized conscious sedation as first line.

The greatest aerosol exposure risk was with emergent conversion from sedation to general anesthesia, and both organizations urged avoiding emergency intubation in the angio suite and having a lower threshold for starting with general anesthesia if there were any concerns about need for conversion.

Criteria of concern in a known or suspected COVID-19-positive patient differed between the two consensus statements, though. Unlike SVIN, SNACC included aphasic patients, those with posterior circulation or dominant hemisphere occlusions, and those with high stroke severity or low consciousness scores.

Posterior circulation stroke was a significant predictor of conversion to general anesthesia in a recent analysis of sedation practices from 2013 through mid-2020 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

But with a "very low" 1.6% conversion rate, "this is a tolerable risk," said Jovin.

He argued at the ISC session that conscious sedation should be the first-line strategy in mechanical thrombectomy when COVID status is unknown in order to minimize delays and optimize patient outcomes, among other advantages.

However, the more recent randomized trials using evidence from before the pandemic have swung the pendulum to a possibly better outcome with general anesthesia, Sharma noted.

A 2019 meta-analysis of the available single-center trials showed less disability at 3 months compared with procedural sedation.

At Sharma's center, the already low conversion rate dropped slightly during the pandemic period and the predominant approach to anesthesia flipped from conscious sedation to general anesthesia as well.

The SNACC statement noted that recommendations may need to be updated if a rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19 became available. And that's exactly what happened, said Jovin, an author of the SVIN recommendations.

Not only is it easier to quickly tell who has COVID-19, but as COVID-19 declines now that vaccination rates are increasing, this "should be taken into account in the way we approach the procedures for stroke," Jovin said.

He pointed out that for other percutaneous interventions, there are no recommendations for routine intubation of COVID-19 patients. "So why should we do it for stroke?"

Disclosures

Sharma disclosed relationships with the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research and Wolters Kluwer (UpToDate).

Jovin disclosed relationships with Cerenovus, Contego Medical, Stryker Neurovascular, Methinks, Blockade Medical, FreeOx Biotech, Route 92, Viz.ai, Corindus, Anaconda, and Medtronic.

 

Monday, March 15, 2021

AHA publishes new recommendations for transporting stroke patients

These are still just 'recommendations'; NOT PROTOCOLS. So the AHA/ASA still is uselessly going down the guideline/recommendation route. This will not change until we get survivors in charge.

AHA publishes new recommendations for transporting stroke patients

A paper from the Prehospital Stroke System of Care Consensus Conference offers guiding principles for triage and transport destinations

Mar 12, 2021


By Laura French

DALLAS — The American Heart Association has published new recommendations for prehospital triage and transport of stroke patients. 

A consensus statement, developed through the Prehospital Stroke System of Care Consensus Conference and published in the AHA journal Stroke, outlines guiding principles for determining transport destinations in rural, suburban and urban communities.

The statement comes from the American Academy of Neurology, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, American Society of Neuroradiology, National Association of EMS Physicians, National Association of State EMS Officials, Society of NeuroInterventional Surgey and Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, and is endorsed by The Neurocritical Care Society. 

"With the advent of new treatments for stroke such as thrombectomy, the American Stroke Association recognizes the need for a national consensus approach to acute stroke prehospital triage that considers differences in regional plans in urban, suburban and rural environments," said American Stroke Association Advisory Committee Chair Lee H. Schwamm, MD, in a statement. "In time-critical conditions, the capabilities of the first destination hospital can strongly influence clinical outcomes, so it is vital to integrate both speed of transport with level of stroke care required for definitive treatment. This new statement, developed through consensus of leading professional organizations focused on stroke, provides needed recommendations to local communities and regions to improve their stroke systems of care." 

The authors stress that patients with suspected stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) should be preferentially triaged to the nearest endovascular therapy (EVT) capable stroke center, and that local public health agencies are best suited to determine the most appropriate stroke destination plans given unique regional and geographic considerations. The paper offers three separate sets of recommendations for stroke systems of care in rural, suburban and urban communities.

The full paper can be accessed online on the AHA Journals website, and further information about prehospital stroke care is provided by the American Stroke Association. A summary of the recommendations can be read below:

 

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Rhythm of Your Brain Waves May Foretell Dementia

Your chances of getting dementia.

1. A documented 33% dementia chance post-stroke from an Australian study?   May 2012.

2. Then this study came out and seems to have a range from 17-66%. December 2013.

3. A 20% chance in this research.   July 2013.

4. Dementia Risk Doubled in Patients Following Stroke September 2018 

5. Parkinson’s Disease May Have Link to Stroke March 2017 

What protocol is your doctor recommending for dementia prevention? Not guidelines or suggestions, PROTOCOLS!

ANYTHING AT ALL?

 I'm doing this.
Dementia prevention 19 ways
Don't follow me, I'm not medically trained.

 

 

The Rhythm of Your Brain Waves May Foretell Dementia

exercise


By | December 6th, 2018
If you could take a simple, painless test that would tell you if dementia might be in your near future, would you do it? What if that information could give you enough time to enter a clinical trial for a therapy that might help the disease?
Early detection, while it may sound off putting, is becoming a reality for people who are not yet showing life-changing symptoms of dementia, but may have signs of the disease in their brains. The latest method scientists are researching is using the pace of brain waves to gauge dementia likelihood, according to a new study by researchers at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto, Ontario.
This means that these areas could be more responsive to treatments since the brain cells have not died yet and are only starting to undergo damage.
The study found that brain waves, produced by synchronized neurons communicating with each other within the brain, slow down in people who may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or another rare form of dementia that affects speech called primary progressive aphasia. While they only showed minor memory problems outwardly, inside, their minds were showing subtle signs of damage. The slowing down of brain waves predicted the level of memory loss they were experiencing.
“By using brain imaging, we were able to pinpoint that this slowing of electrical activity occurs in specific regions that have not yet lost brain cells, but are negatively affected by the disease,” said Dr. Jed Meltzer, senior author and researcher at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute. “This means that these areas could be more responsive to treatments since the brain cells have not died yet and are only starting to undergo damage.”
Scientists speculated that it might be possible to speed up the brain waves with intervention in an effort to stop or slow the development of dementia.
“Our work identifies a potential biomarker that indicates when the brain cells start to malfunction and opens the door to implementing targeted brain treatments during earlier stages of neurodegenerative disorders,” said Meltzer, who is also an assistant professor in psychology and speech-language pathology at the University of Toronto.
In contrary, the brains of healthy older adults had faster brain waves than young adults.
“One of the challenges in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease is differentiating whether changes to the brain’s structure are a part of normal aging or actually early signs of the disorder,” says Dr Meltzer. “Based on these findings, researchers could potentially use measurements of brainwave activity before and after an intervention to test its effectiveness in a faster and clearer manner.”
Next, the scientists hope to research whether non-invasive electrical stimulation of the brain might slow down or treat diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Monday, June 24, 2019

Vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular disease risks in more than 83,000 individuals in 21 randomized clinical trial : A meta-analysis

You'll have to ask your doctor what their recommendation is with supporting documentation.

More Evidence That Vitamin D Protects Against Alzheimer’s -  Sept. 2014 

The Vitamin Which May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia August 2014 

The latest here:

Vitamin D no defense against dementia

 

Vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular disease risks in more than 83,000 individuals in 21 randomized clinical trial : A meta-analysis


JAMABarbarawi M, et al. | June 21, 2019

Via conducting a meta-analysis of 21 randomized clinical trials that included more than 83,000 participants, researchers tested the correlation of vitamin D supplementation with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and all-cause mortality. Compared with placebo, vitamin D supplementation was not linked to reduced major adverse cardiovascular events, individual CVD endpoints (myocardial infarction, stroke, CVD mortality), or all-cause mortality. Further, results were consistent by sex, baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, vitamin D dosage, formulation (daily vs bolus dosing), and the presence or absence of concurrent calcium administration. Overall, vitamin D supplementation did not confer cardiovascular protection and, therefore, is not indicated for this purpose.

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Implementing a care pathway for spatial neglect to improve stroke outcomes

Not good enough. We need protocols, not just 'care', 'recommendations' and guidelines. 

Implementing a care pathway for spatial neglect to improve stroke outcomes

Dr. Barrett is a cognitive neurologist, is director of the Center of Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. Credit: Kessler Foundation
Spatial neglect remains a hidden disability despite the availability of effective tools for the diagnosis and treatment for this common complication of stroke. Addressing this implementation gap is critical to reducing disability, improving outcomes and controlling costs of stroke care, according to an article in Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, "Update on the Clinical Approach to Spatial Neglect" published online on April 4, 2019. The authors are A.M. Barrett, MD, of the Center for Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation, and K.E. Houston, OD, MSc, of Harvard Medical School and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
The article offers review and recommendations on spatial neglect, a common cause of functional disability after . More than half of survivors of stroke are affected, and 30 percent of individuals with .
Spatial neglect has implications for deficits in visual/perceptual and motor function, as well as cognitive function. Affected individuals are at risk for prolonged hospitalization, falls, poor motor recovery, and discharge to nursing care.
The authors recommend that best practices in stroke rehabilitation include spatial neglect care, which can improve stroke outcomes, including motor recovery. They state that facilities incorporating assessment and in their stroke programs will find these processes bring them closer to their goals of quality improvement, lower costs of care, and improve quality of life for stroke survivors.
Drs. Barrett and Houston suggest in this article that there is sufficient evidence to support implementation of a care pathway for spatial neglect care. This may raise the standard of care, by raising awareness of the importance of integrating spatial neglect assessment in stroke rehabilitation. Available guidelines (American Heart Association, Veterans Administration, National Institute for Care and Health Excellence) recommend routine assessment for spatial neglect but do not specify diagnostic tools. Currently, an expanding network of U.S. rehabilitation facilities called Practice-RRuN, based at Kessler Foundation, implements an assessment tool based on the Catherine Bergego Scale. This assessment tool is part of the standard of care in the 14-member network.
The authors cite prism adaptation treatment as a highly feasible available treatment option. This method has been shown to improve spatial neglect symptoms, as well as performance of daily activities such as self-care, walking, wheelchair navigation, reading, and writing. "We anticipate that prism treatment will be feasible for therapists to administer," said Dr. Barrett, "and that their time and effort will have a positive impact on the costs of care and the health and safety of stroke survivors.
To achieve optimal outcomes after stroke rehabilitation, spatial neglect research needs to be conducted in larger and more diverse study populations. Further research is needed to explore the neurobiology of spatial neglect, including brain interactions between spatial and motor systems. Incorporating neuroimaging techniques may yield biomarkers that will help identify candidates for clinical trials and treatment protocols, and may provide a way to measure the clinical course of spatial and the effects of interventions.

Monday, March 18, 2019

Don't take an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks and strokes: Doctors reverse recommendation

Eggs linked to higher risk of heart disease and early death, study says

Ashley May,USA TODAY 1 hour 30 minutes ago

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Ask your stroke doctor why they haven't gone back to blood letting since they really haven't implemented any later research?

We may as well go back to blood letting as a stroke prescription as discussed in the 1843 book, 'An Essay On The Nature and Treatment of Apoplexy'. What was the last stroke rehab protocol your hospital has implemented? Guidelines and 'recommendations' don't count, only lazy persons claim that as useful repeatable rehab.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Barriers to implementation of stroke rehabilitation evidence: findings from a multi-site pilot project

The real problem here is using 'recommendations' and guidelines. If you were using protocols you would have a defined objective starting diagnosis, exact instructions on what to do and an efficacy rating. 

I blame the mentors and senior researchers for not specifying that the outcomes of research is ALWAYS clinical rehab protocols. They should be fired for not doing this follow thru.

You don't know how to translate research? Here's how.  Must I do everything?

Stroke Research Translation Template

 

Barriers to implementation of stroke rehabilitation evidence: findings from a multi-site pilot project


Pages 1633-1638 | Received 01 Jul 2011, Accepted 01 Jan 2012, Published online: 28 May 2012


Purpose: To describe the barriers to implementation of evidence-based recommendations (EBRs) for stroke rehabilitation experienced by nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physicians and hospital managers.  
Methods: The Stroke Canada Optimization of Rehabilitation by Evidence project developed EBRs for arm and leg rehabilitation after stroke. Five Canadian stroke inpatient rehabilitation centers participated in a pilot implementation study. At each site, a clinician was identified as the “local facilitator” to promote the 6-month implementation. A research coordinator observed the process. Focus groups done at completion were analyzed thematically for barriers by two raters.  
Results: A total of 79 rehabilitation professionals (23 occupational therapists, 17 physical therapists, 23 nurses and 16 directors/managers) participated in 21 focus groups of three to six participants each. The most commonly noted barrier to implementation was lack of time followed by staffing issues, training/education, therapy selection and prioritization, equipment availability and team functioning/communication. There was variation in perceptions of barriers across stakeholders. Nurses noted more training and staffing issues and managers perceived fewer barriers than frontline clinicians.  
Conclusions: Rehabilitation guideline developers should prioritize evidence for implementation and employ user-friendly language. Guideline implementation strategies must be extremely time efficient. Organizational approaches may be required to overcome the barriers.
Implications for Rehabiliation
  • Despite increasingly strong evidence for stroke rehabilitation, there are delays in implementation into clinical practice.
  • This study showed that lack of time, staffing issues, staff education, therapy selection or prioritization, lack of equipment and team functioning were the main barriers to implementation.
  • Managers and stakeholders should consider these barriers and prioritize evidence when implementing.

 

Friday, October 26, 2018

Barriers to implementation of stroke rehabilitation evidence: findings from a multi-site pilot project.

There should be no barriers to implementing protocols. With this objective starting point you follow this protocol. But just putting them as recommendations or guidelines you make them subjective and the therapist has leeway to do something else. 

Barriers to implementation of stroke rehabilitation evidence: findings from a multi-site pilot project.


Abstract

PURPOSE:

To describe the barriers to implementation of evidence-based recommendations (EBRs) for stroke rehabilitation experienced by nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physicians and hospital managers.

METHODS:

The Stroke Canada Optimization of Rehabilitation by Evidence project developed EBRs for arm and leg rehabilitation after stroke. Five Canadian stroke inpatient rehabilitation centers participated in a pilot implementation study. At each site, a clinician was identified as the "local facilitator" to promote the 6-month implementation. A research coordinator observed the process. Focus groups done at completion were analyzed thematically for barriers by two raters.

RESULTS:

A total of 79 rehabilitation professionals (23 occupational therapists, 17 physical therapists, 23 nurses and 16 directors/managers) participated in 21 focus groups of three to six participants each. The most commonly noted barrier to implementation was lack of time followed by staffing issues, training/education, therapy selection and prioritization, equipment availability and team functioning/communication. There was variation in perceptions of barriers across stakeholders. Nurses noted more training and staffing issues and managers perceived fewer barriers than frontline clinicians.

CONCLUSIONS:

Rehabilitation guideline developers should prioritize evidence for implementation and employ user-friendly language. Guideline implementation strategies must be extremely time efficient. Organizational approaches may be required to overcome the barriers. [Box: see text].
PMID:
22631218
DOI:
10.3109/09638288.2012.656790
[Indexed for MEDLINE]