Dissemination and implementation of the GRASP Program
Dr. Eng developed GRASP tools to increase the uptake of the intervention, including its translation to 10 languages. This website hosts the manual and resources free for download and tracks the sites and clinicians who implement the program. GRASP is now utilized in over 5000 sites over 50 countries (and is now standard of care in BC). The use of an inpatient supplementary arm exercise program was added to the 2010 Canadian Stroke Clinical Practice Guidelines care based on her multi-site trial. A published 2014 national survey found that 20% of UK stroke therapists use GRASP while a 2019 national survey found this proportion increased to 35%. Over 50 sites report using GRASP and the website videos as instructional materials to teach students within the university physical therapy curriculum. Locally, she developed cost-recovery GRASP Group Programs at community centres which provide an inexpensive pathway for patients to improve their upper extremity function and these programs are now overseen by the Stroke Recovery Association of BC. With COVID-19, she developed a highly successful virtual GRASP Program now implemented on a permanent basis by the March of Dimes Canada. Many other researchers have since published with GRASP using it as a standardized treatment coupled with modalities such as transcranial direct stimulation or wearable sensors. counts” of the hand.
Implementation of the Fitness and Mobility Exercise (FAME) Program across BC and beyond
Over 500 sites over 21 countries have reported implementing the FAME protocol with a variety of populations, including stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and frail older adults. The actual use is much larger given the free access to the manuals at fameexercise.com. Dr. Eng has formally implemented FAME in seven BC community centres (over 3 different health authorities) which now run with sustained operation of the program without research support. FAME is accredited through the BC Parks and Recreation Association and she developed a certification program for instructors.
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Evidence (SCIRE): www.scireproject.com
Did you know that large studies analyzing the health-care system have shown that up to 45% of time, treatments of proven effectiveness are not provided and 20% of patients get care that is potentially harmful? Dr. Eng is the co-leader of the Spinal Cord Injury Research Evidence (SCIRE) Project; a knowledge translation project which includes systematic reviews, outcome measures, case studies and education modules. Over 70 faculty from 5 countries are involved. SCIRE has an informative, practical interface for clinicians, people living with spinal cord injury and their families and details the evidence behind treatments, presents reliable and valid outcome measures for clinicians to use, and showcases its content through multimedia. SCIRE receives more than ¼ million viewers annually. In addition, over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles have been published from the project so far. A published evaluation of SCIRE showed that this web-based knowledge resource is a relatively inexpensive method to increase access to evidence-based information, increase knowledge of the evidence, inform changes to the health providers’ practice, and influence their clinical decision making. The SCIRE Project is a highly accessible source of quality information that facilitates best practice and is used by health care professionals, clients and their families, funding agencies, advocacy groups and policy-making groups.