Grant: Patient-Oriented Research Collaboration Grants

St. John's Rehab (SJR) provides specialized rehabilitation care to individuals recovering from stroke, cancer, amputation, major trauma, and burns. In 2012, SJR merged with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC) to enhance the continuity of care between acute care and rehabilitation settings. As a result of this merger, the SJR research program is undergoing a renewal phase, which includes the hiring of new scientists and staff, attracting graduate students to conduct research at SJR, and building new lab space. In order to help shape the vision and direction of the newly formed research program at SJR, we are proposing to obtain structured and meaningful input from SJR patients and their families to identify areas of importance to inform the development of a patient-oriented rehabilitation research agenda at SRJ. To accomplish this goal, we will conduct focus groups with approximately 20 SJR patients on key issues impacting their health and wellbeing to inform a list of patient priorities. Through a series of structured voting exercises, the top five priorities will be selected at a one-day research planning meeting to determine ways that these priorities can be moved forward in the research program at SJR. The result of this work will lead to partnerships with various organizations to help advance a patient-oriented rehabilitation research agenda that is relevant to the needs of SJR patients and their families.