Effectiveness of a Customized Digital Platform to Increase Coordination of Care and Uptake of Evidence-based Practices

Summary

Background: Cardiovascular and neurological conditions are major causes of disability worldwide. Early, intensive rehabilitation is essential but often challenging to access in current healthcare systems. In Canada, the direct and indirect costs of acquired brain injury (ABI) are substantial, emphasizing the need for improved rehabilitation services. In collaboration with four health regions and the Canadian Foundation of Innovation (CFI) funded BRILLIANT research group, investigators are implementing a digital health platform (the BRILLIANT platform), which includes five modules to address current gaps and support a person-centered integrated care continuum for cardiovascular and neurological conditions. In this stepped wedge randomized trial, investigators plan to implement and evaluate the use of the BRILLIANT Platform for improving transitions of care in the rehabilitation of ABI individuals in Quebec.

Methods: A stepped wedge cluster randomized trial will be conducted across four healthcare regions with eight programs. Eligible participants included new cardiovascular and neurological patients, caregivers, clinicians, coordinators, and managers. The BRILLIANT platform intervention, implemented in 2 phases, will provide standardized assessments, communication tools, shared intervention plans, self-management support, and quality improvement dashboards. Outcomes will include rehabilitation intensity measured in minutes, time from admission to rehabilitation, health-related quality of life, care experience, and costs. Data analysis will use mixed-effects models for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data.

Discussion: This study will provide valuable evidence on the effectiveness and feasibility of the BRILLIANT platform in improving rehabilitation care for patients with cardiovascular and neurological conditions in Quebec. Investigators anticipate that by addressing the challenges and pursuing future directions, the implementation of this digital platform can contribute to improving patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.

Conditions

• Aquired Brain Injury
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Stroke
• Cardiovascular Diseases

Interventions

OTHER

The intervention will be the BRILLIANT Platform, an online platform which provides five Modules aimed at increasing coordination of care and direct rehabilitation time

The BRILLIANT Platform provides five Modules aimed at increasing coordination of care and direct rehabilitation time: 1) Standardized measures: provided consistently with scoring and reminders to complete assessments, across all stages of recovery and care settings to guide and evaluate treatment effectiveness of clinical outcomes, performance based outcomes, patient reported outcome measures; 2) Communication Module: clinicians can communicate together and with patient/family to clarify patient-related information and update colleagues for time sensitive information, synchronously and asynchronously; 3) Shared intervention goals and plan: personalized and dynamic care trajectory and intervention plan guided by standardized assessments, reminders, and evidence-based interventions recommendations to direct patients and caregivers to the right services and interventions at the right time based on clinical and social profile and best practices; and 2 other related topics.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-09-30

Primary Completion

2029-12-31

Completion

2029-12-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations