Using knowledge translation to establish a model of hospital-based early supported community reintegration for stroke patients in South Korea

BACKGROUND: In 2019, the South Korean government started designating rehabilitation medical institutions to facilitate the early return of patients with stroke (PWS) to their communities after discharge. However, a detailed operating model has not yet been suggested. We aimed to develop a hospital-based early supported community reintegration model for PWS that is suitable for South Korea based on knowledge translation in cooperation with clinical experts and PWS. METHODS: Clinical experts (n = 13) and PWS (n = 20) collaboratively participated in the process of developing the early supported community reintegration model at a national hospital in South Korea, using the following phases of the knowledge-to-action cycle: (1) identifying knowledge, (2) adapting the knowledge to the local situation, (3) assessing barriers and facilitators to local use of knowledge, and (4) tailoring and developing the program. Barriers and facilitators to local use of knowledge were assessed multidimensionally at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community level based on the social-ecological model. Literature reviews, workshops, individual and group interviews, and group meetings using nominal group technique were conducted in each phase of the knowledge-to-action cycle. RESULTS: Each phase of the knowledge-to-action cycle for developing the early supported community reintegration model and a newly developed model including the following components were reported: (1) revision of strategies of organizations related to community reintegration support, (2) establishment of a multidepartmental and multidisciplinary community reintegration support system, (3) standardization of patient-centered multidisciplinary goal setting, (4) multidimensional classification of community reintegration support areas, and (5) development of guidelines for a tailored community reintegration support program. CONCLUSIONS: We designed a hospital-based multidimensional and multidisciplinary early supported community reintegration model that comprehensively included several elements of community rehabilitation in connection with hospitals and communities, taking into account the South Korean situation of lacking community rehabilitation infrastructure. In developing a guideline for a tailored community reintegration support program, we attempted to take into consideration various situations faced by PWS in South Korea, which is in a transitional stage for community rehabilitation. It is expected that this early supported community reintegration model can be referenced in other countries that are in a transitional stage of community rehabilitation.