CONNECTing Concussion Care with Research Across Ontario

Cindy Hunt; Heather MacKenzie; Anil Dosaj; Justina Zych; Carmela Tartaglia; Mark Bayley; Ruth Wilcock; Karl Zabjek; Matthew Burke; Vicki Kristman; Billie Hardy; Lisa K Fischer; Andrew Baker

doi:10.1017/cjn.2023.326

CONNECTing Concussion Care with Research Across Ontario

Can J Neurol Sci. 2024 Jan 18:1-5. doi: 10.1017/cjn.2023.326. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Cindy Hunt^{1

2}, Heather MacKenzie^{3

4}, Anil Dosaj², Justina Zych², Carmela Tartaglia^{5

6}, Mark Bayley⁷, Ruth Wilcock⁸, Karl Zabjek^{9

10}, Matthew Burke^{11

12}, Vicki Kristman^{13

14}, Billie Hardy¹⁵, Lisa K Fischer^{16

17}, Andrew Baker^{18

19}

Affiliations

¹ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² Head Injury Clinic, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada.
⁴ Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁵ Canadian Concussion Centre, Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁷ Brain and Spinal Cord Rehab Program, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto Hull Ellis Concussion & Research Clinic, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁸ Ontario Brain Injury Association, Thorold, ON, Canada.
⁹ Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁰ KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹² Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹³ Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Ontario, ON, Canada.
¹⁴ Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁵ Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁶ Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic, London, ON, Canada.
¹⁷ Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
¹⁸ Surgery and Critical Care Program. St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁹ Department of Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 38232957
DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2023.326

Abstract

Common data elements (CDEs) for concussion, as established by international bodies, are not being widely used in Ontario, resulting in significant variability in the data being assessed and collected across clinics. CDEs support standardization of care as well as large-scale data sharing for high impact research. A collaborative network - Concussion Ontario Network: Neuroinformatics to Enhance Clinical care and Translation (CONNECT) - comprised of health care professionals, researchers, members from advocacy groups, and patients was formed to establish and implement CDEs for concussion care and research. While the seeds have been planted and initial effectiveness demonstrated, future challenges exist.

Keywords: Brain injury; concussion; epidemiology; head trauma; neurosciences.