Consensus Imperatives for Research-to-Practice Transfer in Rehabilitation
The World Health Organization (WHO), through its “Call for Action - Rehabilitation 2030,” has emphasized the importance of strengthening the collaboration between research and practice in rehabilitation. Since 2017, the working group “Innovation Workshop Science Circle,” followed by the DGRW Commission “Communication, Innovation, and Transfer,” has been fostering dialogue between researchers and practitioners. From 2017 to 2023, key obstacles were investigated and six “consented imperatives” were formulated as a result.
These six imperatives highlight the shared responsibility for research as follows:
(1) taking into consideration stakeholder needs across all study phases,
(2) recognizing the importance of structured communication, and
(3) facilitatation by researchers. Rehabilitation research has a special obligation to ensure knowledge transfer
(4) and requires long-term funding strategies to enable participatory and application-oriented approaches
(5). Moreover, research should be recognized as a quality indicator for rehabilitation facilities
(6). These principles aim to promote sustainable collaboration between research and practice, improving the overall rehabilitation system through effective communication, resources, and quality assurance.
Initiatives such as the discussion forum at the 32nd Rehabilitation Science Colloquium 2023 and the new “KIT-Space” format, will advance these approaches. A stronger integration of the perspectives of rehabilitants remains a key objective.
