Thursday, April 4, 2019 8:00 am - 11:00 am

AOTF Knowledge Translation Workshop: Partnering to Bring Research Into Practice

Convention Center 383-385

Nancy Baker ScD, MPH, OT Catherine Backman, PhD, Reg. OT(BC), FCAOT Roxanna Bendixen, PhD, OTR/L, Cheryl Miller-Scott, DROT, OTR/L, Susan Murphy, ScD, OTR/L, Mary Barber OTR/L, Aimee Piller, PhD, OTR/L

To have effect, evidence-based practice must have access to research that not only answers clinically relevant research questions, it must do so in a way that makes it easy for clinician to implement the results into practice.  One way to ensure these type of clinically relevant studies is to closely involve clinicians and other stakeholders into the design and conduct of occupational therapy research.  While this type of participatory research is vital to the science of occupational therapy, it is often challenging for researchers and clinicians to engage in these types of partnerships.  In this workshop we will explore successful examples of how researchers and clinicians can partner to bring research into practice and practice into research.

The workshop will examine three areas where the research/practice dyad was particularly successful.  We will look at how using PCORI grant mechanisms can be used to engage clinician stakeholders to develop and implement clinically relevant research.  We will discuss how clinicians and researchers can partner to use medical records to rigorously answer questions about practice which can guide the treatment of patients at that center as well as nationwide.  We will examine how clinicians can become involved in research projects that both treat patients and answer important research questions.

Nancy A. Baker, ScD, MPH, OTR/L, FAOTA.  Tufts University
Partnering to Bring Research into Practice.
Dr. Baker will provide an introduction to concepts related to collaborations between researchers and clinicians

Aimee Piller, PhD, OTR/L. Piller Child Development, LLC
The Knowledge Translation Cycle: Becoming a Consumer and Contributor to Occupational Therapy Evidence
This talk will provide real-life examples of how clinicians can contribute to the body of evidence by performing practice-based research.  The presenter will provide examples of how to perform research studies in the clinical setting using data that is already gathered on a daily basis by clinicians.  Examples of clinician performed research will be provided.  Further, the presenter will discuss how to overcome barriers to performing research in practice including gaining organizational support and partnering with universities to gain access to research tools.  The presenter will use her own practice as an example of the strategies of performing research in practice.

Catherine Backman, PhD, Reg. OT(BC), FCAOT
Tips for Successful Clinician—Academic Research Partnerships
Examples of successfully completed research projects will be shared that relied on a partnership between occupational therapy clinicians and academics. These include projects initiated in the clinic with clinicians engaging researchers, projects initiated by academics seeking support from clinicians, and studies created jointly by academics and clinicians to engage students as researchers. Studies in mental health and physical health practice settings will be cited, and tips for success highlighted.

Susan Murphy, ScD, OTR/L and Mary Barber OTR/L
The Magic of Collaboration – One Researcher + One Clinician = Enhanced Patient Treatment in Scleroderma + Published studies!
This talk will explore the synergistic energy produced through a partnership between an OT researcher and OT clinician to test an occupational therapy intervention in a clinical trial for people with scleroderma. Each expert will discuss their contribution to the research and how their roles will contribute to the shared vision of improving clinical practice.

Roxanna Bendixen, PhD, OTR/L
Engaging Clinicians, Organizations and Families to Improve Community Participation for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities”. 
This talk will discuss a PCORI funded project which engages key healthcare, community, and family stakeholders in research development activities to explore issues and exchange information in relation to community-level occupational therapy interventions aimed at reducing social and environmental barriers and improve access, usability and participation for consumers with disabilities and their families.

Cheryl Miller-Scott, DROT, OTR/L
Practice-based Evidence: Using clinical data to inform practice
This talk will examine how site-specific data can be used as evidence to guide practice.

Included in conference registration.