Celebrating five years of knowledge brokering

It is hard to believe that the Physical Therapy Knowledge Broker position was launched over five years ago. Looking back to May of 2009 it was impossible to predict what the position would look like let alone what the outcomes would be five years later.

327 people have participated in PT KB facilitated projects and activities

21 evidence-informed resources have been completed, disseminated and viewed ~100,000 times locally, nationally and internationally.  And,

  •  SAFEMOB, Achilles Tendinopathy Toolkit, Lateral Epicondyle Toolkit are on the international website Physiopedia  and are in the top 25% of all material accessed on over 2000 pages of content by 40,000 unique views/month from PTs in over 200 countries. (The Total Joint Arthroplasty and Outcome Measures Toolkit has just been added).
  • A physician continuing education blog (This Changed My Practice) rated the contribution regarding the Lateral Epicondyle Toolkit as one of the five top articles of the year
  • Our colleagues from other disciplines value these resources –Nurses have contacted the KB from different jurisdictions in Canada and are using SAFEMOB;  Physicians, through the postings on the British Journal of Sports Medicine and The UBC Continuing Practice Physician blog “ This Changed My Practice”
  • The BC Medial Journal expressed value in the Tendinopathy Toolkits and have accessed the decision-tree on how to refer arthritis patients to physiotherapy over 900 times;  and Pharmacists use the decision-tree on when to recommend patients with arthritis see a physiotherapist.

There is ~$2.1 million of grant funding of projects in which the PT KB was involved.

Fifteen projects have been undertaken – 11 that were PT KB initiated.

A total of 20 publications, 4 in press, 2 submitted and 3 in process, with numerous clinician first time co-authorships. This includes an invited editorial on the PT KB position (The Knowledge Broker’s ‘Fit’ in the World of Knowledge Translation”). Moreover, last year’s article “A survey of Physiotherapists’ experience using outcome measures in total hip and knee arthroplasty” was selected as the article of the month by Physiotherapy Canada and the manuscript “Exercise prescription for hospitalized people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbidities: a synthesis of systematic reviews” was viewed over 23,720 times.

601 unique PABC members have attended at least one of the PT KB webinars – many of which partnered with UBC Department of Physical Therapy academic or clinical faculty. There has been over 6,630 views of the recordings, and 65-95% of survey respondeesreported not only an intent to use the information to change practice but could identify specific ways to do so.

There have been 42 presentations locally, provincially, nationally and internationally related to the PT KB role and projects.

Several new partnerships have been forged e.g. The Physical Activity Line of BC, BC Pharmacy Association, Impact BC Patient Voices.

Alison_Hoens11214‘Clearly, it takes a village to achieve these accomplishments. I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation and respect to the 327 partners who have contributed their talents, wisdom and passion to the projects and the thousands who have so willingly participated in the webinars, read the documents, used the resources and supported the position in innumerable ways. I am looking forward to the next 5 years – who knows what we can accomplish together next’,- Alison Hoens, Physical Therapy Knowledge Broker