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Purpose: To identify clinician-perceived barriers and facilitators to the delivery of outcome measurement and evidence-based treatment practices and integration of these practices in aphasia rehabilitation. Materials and methods: Using a convergent mixed methods design, aphasia clinicians (n = 87) across care settings in the United States completed an online survey designed within the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Participants responded to open-ended questions and rated Likert scale statements. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis and quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Factors related to the TDF domain of "environmental context and resources" (priority and productivity demands; characteristics of resources) were cited as primary barriers in 70% of qualitative responses for both outcome and treatment practices and were consistent with Likert rating statements. Facilitators were associated with TDF domains of "memory, attention, decision-making" (decision-making processes), "knowledge" (awareness of evidence) and "social influences" (client and caregiver preferences). Conclusions: Organizational-level factors and the misalignment of the research evidence with clinical needs are barriers to delivering evidence-based care in aphasia rehabilitation. Theoretically informed strategies such as establishing organizational infrastructure for practice change, developing clinically relevant evidence through research-practice partnerships, and implementing algorithms to support clinical decision-making can address barriers and leverage facilitators. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Rehabilitation research needs to engage clinical partners and consider the healthcare context to provide the field with evidence-based outcome measures and treatment recommendations that meet the needs of the clinical environment. Clinical decision-making tools and algorithms have potential to support systematic, evidence informed care. Future implementation efforts need to test strategies that go beyond knowledge and skills training. Clinicians are optimistic for change in clinical practice within themselves and the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impairments in cognition significantly affect patient functioning and rehabilitation outcomes. Assessment is essential to identifying at-risk individuals and guiding care plans., Objective: A cognitive assessment protocol was implemented in occupational therapy (OT) and speech-language pathology (SLP) outpatient practice. Using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), this study (1) measured the reach and adoption of the cognitive assessment protocol and (2) explored determinants and strategies that may affect adoption., Design: Sequential mixed methods., Setting: Two outpatient rehabilitation clinics (A and B) within a health care network., Participants: Medical records from 220 adult patients with neurologic diagnosis and 15 OT and SLP clinicians., Interventions: Cognitive assessment protocol., Main Outcome Measure(s): Reach of the assessment protocol across patient characteristics and adoption across clinical sites were measured quantitatively via retrospective electronic medical records review. Qualitative data on effectiveness and the implementation process were collected via clinician focus groups., Results: Protocol adoption rates were 71% and 54% at clinics A and B, respectively. Site B OT was more likely to be noncompliant with protocol adoption compared to Site A, when controlling for patient characteristics, (81% vs. 16%, respectively; odds ratio = 11.4, 95% confidence interval [3.36-38.64], p ≤ .001). Patient age was a significant factor for protocol reach; older age was associated with noncompliance of the SLP protocol adoption, p < .05. Both sites employed implementation strategies targeting the provider level (eg, education/training); Site A additionally included organization-level strategies (eg, leadership engagement). In the absence of organization-level strategies, OT and SLP clinicians at Site B identified barriers related to leadership support, resources, and workflow., Conclusions: Standardized practice protocols are feasible to implement within the rehabilitation setting, though multilevel implementation strategies may be needed to promote adoption. Aligning practices with the needs, values and priorities of the organization, providers, and patients and families is imperative., (© 2024 The Author(s). PM&R published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.)