The Knowledge Translation (KT) theme provides various KT products for the neuromuscular community. The objectives of our integrated knowledge translation (IKT) plan is to raise the standard of care for NMD and improve access to NMD therapies across Canada through the development, dissemination, and implementation of KT products (including clinical care guidelines) tailored to various audiences.

KT products in development include the adaptation and creation of clinical practice guidelines for NMDs, consensus statements for NMD treatments, and decision aids. The KT working group applies best practices in KT to all network activities, and are responsible for network communication channels including curation of the website, social media, and newsletter. 

Clinical Care Guidelines

Clinical practice guidelines and other informational products for individuals affected by NMDs are important tools to help guide clinical practice and shared decision making and thereby improve outcomes for Canadians living with NMDs. Canadian neuromuscular clinicians and scientists have contributed to the development of guidelines for several NMDs, yet challenges remain: a lack of comprehensive clinical practice guidelines that address the role of each member of the multidisciplinary team, a lack of awareness of available KT products, and availability of summaries which provide this information for clinicians in a quick digestible format. To address these gaps, the KT group performed a landscaping project to identify neuromuscular guidelines that have already been developed. A document produced by the KT group describing our process for choosing clinical guidelines for adaptation is available.

Further, many KT resources that are available to the NM community provide clinical care recommendations with a regional lense; the KT team works to adapt recommendations to a Canadian context where necessary through consultation with leading Canadian experts in NMDs. One example of this can be found in the group’s 2021 publication providing guidance on gene replacement therapy in Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Education

The KT team produced a webinar series providing an overview of KT plan implementation from conception to execution, drawing from their own experience and recruting talented KT experts as presenters throughout.

Find a recording of the first session, ‘Setting up the basics for a successful knowledge translation plan’ here:

Find a recording of the second session, 'How to Improve Clinical Care When Published Knowledge is Rare' here:

Find a recording of the third session, 'Knowledge Translation in Action' here: