Have you ever wondered how we could best leverage rehabilitation technology to support our therapy services and improve patient’s recovery outcomes?  Imagine a model of care where rehabilitation engineers work hand-in-hand with physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams, collaboratively delivering therapy and shaping the use of technologies in everyday clinical practice. Our team of investigators is excited to propose just that! 

We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded $970k from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) to trial a Rehabilitation Innovation and Technology Assessment (RITA) service. This innovative service will bridge the gap between rehabilitation engineers and therapists, and provide a hub for co-design and implementation of innovative rehabilitation concepts and technologies.  By bringing professions together, we expect to unlock new possibilities for rehabilitation and make a meaningful difference in recovery outcomes. 

Thanks to the MAIC Innovative Research Action Awards (MIRAA), we will trial RITA as an interprofessional service, and conduct an initial feasibility study at the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS, Metro North Health) and the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH, Metro South Health). Over the next 21 months, this service trial and feasibility study will focus on two key areas:  

(1) investigating how, and to what extent, interprofessional teams can increase patients’ movement practice using technology; and  

(2) surveying rehabilitation technology needs prior to hospital discharge, including co-designing prototype solutions for selected cases. 

The RITA service is a collaborative effort between researchers and health practitioners from the Jamison Trauma Institute, RBWH, STARS, PAH, Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, and the University of Queensland.  

Stay tuned for updates on our progress and feel free to reach out if you want to get involved!  

Contact: Dr Alejandro Melendez-Calderon, Principal Research Fellow, Jamieson Trauma Institute (alej.melendez@health.qld.gov.au)

Our proposed RITA service aims at facilitating translation of rehabilitation research into clinical practice.