Background of the lab
The Spinal Pain Research Lab is led by Dr. Alison Rushton, Director and Professor of the School of Physical Therapy at Western University. Research lab members consist of one additional faculty member in the School of Physical Therapy, two research associates and numerous graduate students. The research lab is located at Elborn College on the Western University campus and Victoria Hospital. The research program has a focus on precision rehabilitation interventions for managing spinal pain to enable effective and efficient care and enhance patient outcomes.
Overview of patient partner engagement
An important component of the research program is engaging and collaborating with a diverse group of people who have previously or currently are experiencing pain in one or more parts of their spine (low back, mid back, neck). The team is creating a patient partner advisory group to guide and assist in the research program focused on precision rehabilitation interventions for managing spinal pain.
Within the advisory group committees will be created to inform specific projects. For example, if there is a research project focused on Physical Therapy interventions for low back pain, a committee will be created consisting of patient partners who have experience with Physical Therapy for low back pain. Committees to advise, guide and assist us in quality improvement projects and public communication activities will also be created.
The goal is to create an inclusive environment within the research program, which includes the patient partner advisory group. Patient partners will actively collaborate with members of the research team to ensure projects are meaningful and meet the needs of people who have pain in their low back, mid back or neck. All voices are valued and welcomed when working together to enhance precision rehabilitation interventions for managing spinal pain.
Objectives for patient partner engagement
- Actively contribute to the research program, from project development to dissemination of results, ensuring the patient’s voice informs all that we do
- Ensure quality improvement initiatives and public communication meet the needs of patients and the community
Criteria for involvement
People who have lived experiences with low back, mid back, or neck pain of any kind. They will have numerous research projects related to different parts of the spine (low back, mid back, neck) and would like to have partners engage in projects in which they have lived experiences. They will also have research projects related to different types of interventions for people with back or neck pain, such as physical therapy or surgery. Therefore, they are interested in patient partners who also have experiences in physical therapy and/or surgery for low back, mid back or neck pain.
Number of partners
With time, they intend to build the patient partner advisory group to consist of approximately 30 people. Within the pool of 30, create committees to advise, guide and assist on specific research and quality improvement projects, and public communication activities. It is anticipated each committee will consist of approximately 10 patient partners.
Anticipated time commitments
The patient partner advisory group is intended to assist and guide the program of research and therefore long term engagement with our patient partners if preferred. Ideally, partners will work with the team for one year. However, unforeseeable events happen in life and therefore a one-year commitment will not be mandated. Similarly, patient partners may desire for engagement longer than one year, which we are equally happy to accommodate.
Start date
The team is looking to build the patient partner advisory group as soon as possible. They will continue to welcome new engagement with the advisory group until the desired target of approximately 30 patient partners with a wide range of experiences with pain in the spine region (low back, mid back, neck, physical therapy, surgery, etc) is reached.
Inaugural meeting
The inaugural kickoff patient partner advisory group meeting will occur on November 17th, 2021 in Elborn College on the Western University campus. The meeting will begin at 4:30pm with refreshments and the formal meeting will start at 5pm. Parking at Elborn College for this meeting will be provided, and the cost of transportation will be covered if needed. If needed, they can host a hybrid meeting where patient partners join via Zoom if they prefer or cannot attend in-person.
During the inaugural meeting, theywill introduce the research team and give an overview of the research program. Following methods used in the TV show Shark Tank, researchers will pitch research project ideas to the patient partner advisory group. Following each presentation, the advisory group will provide feedback to improve projects and ensure we are researching topics that are meaningful and matter to people with pain in their low back, mid back or neck.
Ongoing meetings
Following the inaugural kickoff meeting, future meetings will be scheduled every couple of months. Meetings will generally last a couple of hours. As public health measures allow, we will continue to host in-person meetings at Elborn College on the Western University campus with the option for people to join virtually as needed or desired.
Compensation
For the inaugural meeting, compensation in the form of a gift card will be provided. At this point in time, they are unable to provide further financial or other compensation for patient partners. If any patient advisory group activities occur on the Western University campus or at Victoria Hospital, they will continue to provide parking and / or costs of transportation.
The team is submitting a grant to support the research and within that grant are including compensation for patient partners. As our advisory group will be longer term, it’s anticipated compensation based on project involvement.
Anticipated outcomes
The goal is to enhance patient outcomes through effective and efficient precision rehabilitation interventions. To achieve this research mission, the long-term patient partner advisory group will guide and assist through the entire lifecycle of research, quality improvement projects and public communication activities. This shared creation of projects, processes and communication will ensure our research program is meaningful and meets the needs of people who have pain in their low back, mid back and neck.
If you have any questions, would like more information or are interested in joining, please contact either:
Katie Kowalski PT, PhD
Research Associate
Spinal Pain Research Lab
Elborn College
Western University
[email protected]
Michael Lukacs PT, PhD
Research Associate
Spinal Pain Research Lab
Elborn College
Western University
[email protected]