Comprehensive quality assessment for aphasia rehabilitation after stroke: protocol for a multicentre, mixed-methods study
Monique F Kilkenny,
Joosup Kim,
Dominique A Cadilhac,
Deborah Hersh,
Erin Godecke,
David A Copland,
Kathryn Mainstone,
Penelope Mainstone,
Sarah J Wallace,
Miranda L Rose,
Sam Harvey,
Marissa Stone,
Sally Zingelman,
Muideen T Olaiya,
Caterina Breitenstein,
Kirstine Shrubsole,
Robyn O’Halloran,
Annie J Hill,
Carolyn A Unsworth,
Emily Brogan,
Kylie J Short,
Clare L Burns,
Caroline Baker
Affiliations
Monique F Kilkenny
Stroke Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
Joosup Kim
Stroke Theme, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Dominique A Cadilhac
Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Deborah Hersh
Curtin School of Allied Health and EnAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Erin Godecke
School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
David A Copland
Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) Education and Research Alliance, The University of Queensland and Metro North Health, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Kathryn Mainstone
Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Penelope Mainstone
Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Sarah J Wallace
Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service Education and Research Alliance, The University of Queensland and Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Miranda L Rose
Centre for Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Sam Harvey
Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Marissa Stone
Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Sally Zingelman
Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Muideen T Olaiya
Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Caterina Breitenstein
Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
Kirstine Shrubsole
Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Robyn O’Halloran
Centre for Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Annie J Hill
Centre for Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Carolyn A Unsworth
Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Emily Brogan
Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
Kylie J Short
Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service Education and Research Alliance, The University of Queensland and Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Clare L Burns
Royal Brisbane and Women`s Hospital, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Caroline Baker
Centre for Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Introduction People with aphasia following stroke experience disproportionally poor outcomes, yet there is no comprehensive approach to measuring the quality of aphasia services. The Meaningful Evaluation of Aphasia SeRvicES (MEASuRES) minimum dataset was developed in partnership with people with lived experience of aphasia, clinicians and researchers to address this gap. It comprises sociodemographic characteristics, quality indicators, treatment descriptors and outcome measurement instruments. We present a protocol to pilot the MEASuRES minimum dataset in clinical practice, describe the factors that hinder or support implementation and determine meaningful thresholds of clinical change for core outcome measurement instruments.Methods and analysis This research aims to deliver a comprehensive quality assessment toolkit for poststroke aphasia services in four studies. A multicentre pilot study (study 1) will test the administration of the MEASuRES minimum dataset within five Australian health services. An embedded mixed-methods process evaluation (study 2) will evaluate the performance of the minimum dataset and explore its clinical applicability. A consensus study (study 3) will establish consumer-informed thresholds of meaningful change on core aphasia outcome constructs, which will then be used to establish minimal important change values for corresponding core outcome measurement instruments (study 4).Ethics and dissemination Studies 1 and 2 have been registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12623001313628). Ethics approval has been obtained from the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (HREC/2023/MNHB/95293) and The University of Queensland (2022/HE001946 and 2023/HE001175). Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and engagement with relevant stakeholders including healthcare providers, policy-makers, stroke and rehabilitation audit and clinical quality registry custodians, consumer support organisations, and individuals with aphasia and their families.
