Grant: Fellowship - Prize: Knowledge Translation Supplement

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems. Although ' the cure' has yet to be identified, extensive research conducted in the last decade provides high quality evidence regarding the best available treatment options to guide treatment planning. Although, Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG), have been developed to specifically support knowledge translation by providing a succinct summary of the evidence and recommended treatments, clinical care for MSK conditions often does not follow CPGs. The aim of the proposed project is to advance the knowledge translation (KT) for managing chronic MSK diseases by improving dissemination, access and uptake of evidence-based recommendations. The project will integrate best evidence-supported technology with input from patients, clinicians and stake-holders to develop a novel computer-based clinical decision support system (CDSS) that assists clinicians to diagnose and manage MSK patients. The CDSS will be supplemented by an evidence-supported training package that guides clinicians on how to integrate the tool into practice. The CDSS will be evaluated in clinical practice using the gold-standard approach - a randomised controlled trial. Clinical outcomes will be adherence to CPGs in practice, provision of patient resources, and referrals to appropriate services. It is hypothesized that integration of the CDSS into clinical practice will result in improved clinical outcomes compared to normal practice. This research could transform how we manage chronic MSK conditions to vastly improve efficient provision of the best-available treatment options for patients, allowing them to return to a meaningful and productive life. This research will have direct implications for the 1 in 3 Canadians who have a chornic MSK problem that limits their activities of daily life.