Review written by Jo Clark-Wilson
Founder & Director of Head First
Positive changes have occurred over the past 40 years. Specialists working in the field brain injury, with the development of brain scanning, neuropsychology and neuropsychiatry, rehabilitation and case management, have increased recognition (especially of invisible deficits), knowledge and understanding of the consequences of brain injury. Working closely with individuals with brain injury and families and interdisciplinary coordination has potentially enhanced the effectiveness of clinical practice in the fields of rehabilitation and case management.
Research has been undertaken and articles written. In the practical field of case management, research has always been difficult to do. The ‘bespoke’ nature of brain injury is complex and challenging, because everyone is so different. In Jo Clark-Wilson’s experience, what works for one individual with brain injury and family, is not the same for another, even though knowledge and principles can aid the work of the specialist. Questions have always been raised about the definition and models of case management, types of therapeutic relationships, use of outcome measures, and the effectiveness of rehabilitation and case management input.
It is a great achievement for the development of case management, for these authors to complete a systematic review bringing together research articles in the field of brain injury and case management. Their primary question, when reviewing the evidence is “What is the current available evidence for the use of case management in supporting survivors of ABI?”
Searches were undertaken in databases on the key terms of ‘case management’ and ‘brain injury’. Thirty-five studies were reviewed, which included research studies, reviews and discussion and opinions papers, and the quality of studies were assessed.
The paper highlighted the lack of evidence in measuring the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of case management, because of the differences in research designs, variation in sample sizes, variability of outcome measures and lack of well-conducted evaluations. Studies highlighted the importance of good communication with clients and family members, effective relationships between client and case management and the support of the family. Studies highlighted, that to work effectively and efficiently across the continuum of care, case managers needed extensive knowledge and a comprehensive picture of the range of available services and the trajectory of needs of survivors of brain injury.
For all of us, working in the field of brain injury and case management, this review enables us to have knowledge of the current papers, that are of interest and open to evaluation. It also highlights the needs for further research to be undertaken, which will enable us to establish what can be achieved to support better outcomes for clients and families.
From Head First’s perspective, I am proud of our contribution to this research, as Mark Holloway and I had several studies, which were considered to be of a quality to be included in this review.
Read the full article:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699052.2024.2438785#abstract
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