Blended rehabilitation: training professionals to work differently

Rehabilitation professionals often feel insufficiently equipped to implement blended rehabilitation care sustainably. In this project, in co-creation with professionals, an approach will be developed to adapt their...

Centre of Expertise Health Innovation

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Technology in rehabilitation adds value particularly when it complements rather than replaces contact with practitioners. This is also known as blended rehabilitation care. In practice, healthcare professionals often lack sufficient knowledge on how to adapt their work to effectively implement blended rehabilitation care. Research group Rehabilitation & Technology of the Centre of Expertise Health Innovation is conducting research with researchers from InHolland to develop a methodology to support rehabilitation professionals. 

The project, called BARBAPAPA, is an acronym for: Blended Aanbieden van Revalidatiezorg; Beroepsprofessionals een Andere Professionele Aan-Pak Aanleren (a Blended Offering of Rehabilitation care; Training Professionals to use a Different Professional Approach)

Objective

The aim of this project is to develop a methodology to support rehabilitation professionals in adapting professional practice to provide blended rehabilitation care.

Research question

The research question of this project is twofold:

  1. What does a co-created methodology that supports rehabilitation professionals in adapting their professional practice for providing blended rehabilitation treatments look like?
  2. What are the feasibility and usability of the developed methodology in the practice of daily care? 

Method

Barbapapa is a design-oriented research based on co-creation with rehabilitation professionals, patients, loved ones, managers, training and experts. The first phase (problem finding) focuses on stakeholder mapping, identifying best practices and preparing a plan of requirements and preferences. The second phase (solution finding) focuses on co-creation of the methodology in design sessions. In this phase, a concept is developed, tested, evaluated and further developed into a final methodology. 

Practitioners will be involved in focus groups, group meetings and expert consultations in both phases.

Social relevance

Successful implementation of blended rehabilitation care contributes to a future-proof healthcare system that will have to be provided despite a scarcity of rehabilitation professionals and resources. 

Collaboration

In this Barbapapa project, the Medical Delta Living Labs Blended rehabilitation and Technology Implementation with Positive Impact on Care collaborate with rehabilitation professionals from Omring, Pieter van Foreest, and Basalt to provide sustainable support to rehabilitation professionals in being able to offer blended rehabilitation treatments.

Partners

National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Genero ouderenparticipatie, Minddistrict, Vilans, LUMC/UNC-ZH and KNGF.

Duration

This project runs from mid-2025 to 2027.

Team

  • Jorit Meesters (Rehabilitation and Technology)
  • Jacqueline Langius (Rehabilitation and Technology)

Contact