In healthcare, growing care needs and increasing complexity of health issues require a multidisciplinary approach. These societal challenges also impact prosthetic, orthotic and footwear care. To address these challenges, a reciprocal integration of science and practice is essential.
An academic workplace in the field of assistive devices is a collaborative research infrastructure that connects healthcare practice, research, education, industry, and end users, who have a central position as patient research partners. Research questions, originating from end users and professionals, are jointly collected and addressed, while the acquired knowledge is shared and implemented among all stakeholders. This approach reduces research waste, adds value and stimulates/facilitates the implementation of research results.
Our academic workplaces, ‘the ProsthesisAcademy’ and ‘Academic Workplace HOMELAND’ focus specifically on mobility aids in Dutch rehabilitation medicine. The ProsthesisAcademy aims to improve the use of arm and leg prosthetics at home. HOMELAND focuses on improving offloading devices for people with neuropathy, such as custom-made footwear.
In this instructional course, we will explain the organization, methods and experiences of these academic workplaces. Participants will then be challenged to think about opportunities such networks can have in their own practice, and discuss potential implementations in their countries. Subsequently, we will address how and what type of practice-oriented research takes place within our academic workplaces and how we organize the path to implementation. Participants will share their own experiences with performing and implementing practice-oriented research in collaborative networks. The course will give insight into the benefits of sustainable collaboration within academic workplaces.
Statement of the objective / learning objectives
Participants will:
1) understand how academic workplaces respond to societal changes in rehabilitation medicine.
2) learn to involve all stakeholders in research through academic workplaces.
3) discuss their potential for collaboration and innovation.
