A knowledge translation approach to implementing health system guidance: revision and dissemination of the Guidance for Western Australian Health lymphoedema and chronic oedema services.
Melissa Thorne1 1Chief Allied Health Office, Clinical Excellence Division, Department Of Health, Perth, WA, Australia
Abstract
Title: A knowledge translation approach to implementing health system guidance: revision and dissemination of the Guidance for Western Australian (WA) Health lymphoedema and chronic oedema services.
Background: Knowledge translation enables getting the right information, to the right people, in the right format, at the right time. Too frequently, organisational policy intended to improve health service provision does not reach the targeted audience in a meaningful way.
A revision of the Guidance for the provision of compression garments for lymphoedema in 2023 led to an updated version using a knowledge translation approach to improve the scope, reach and utility.
Objectives: The knowledge translation goals included:
•generation of awareness and interest
•sharing of knowledge
•inform decision making
Target audience:
•WA Health Service Providers
•WA Health clinicians working with people with chronic oedema
Method: Knowledge Translation frameworks were applied to inform processes and strategies to update and translate an existing guidance into a contemporary revision. Strategies included stakeholder engagement, assumption and barrier assessment, gap analysis, adapting knowledge to local context, and targeted dissemination and implementation.
Evaluation was conducted through a survey to identify conceptual and instrumental knowledge use of the Guidance and to aid future planning to sustain knowledge use.
Comprehensive results will be presented.
Conclusion: It is anticipated that the use of a knowledge translation approach will result in the awareness and implementation of the guidance for WA Health lymphoedema and chronic oedema services by health service providers and clinicians to close the gap between organisational policy and health service provision.
Acknowledgements: The Chief Allied Health Office acknowledges the contribution of WA Health clinicians and stakeholders in the development of the Guidance.
Biography
Melissa Thorne is a registered Occupational Therapist and accredited Lymphoedema Practitioner. Over the last 12+ years Melissa has worked in a diversity of senior clinical roles including secondary and tertiary lymphoedema settings. Melissa leads the lymphoedema work in the WA Chief Allied Health Office. Melissa is a sessional academic in Curtin University’s School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology and trainer with the Australian Lymphoedema Education Research Treatment (ALERT) program at Macquarie University. She is passionate about academic and policy knowledge translation to guide current and emerging health professionals to support equitable and sustainable healthcare.