What Is the Pathway to the Best Model of Care for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury? Evidence-Based Guidance

People with traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) experience lifelong physical and emotional health impacts, needing specialized care that is complex to navigate. The non-standardized care pathways used by different jurisdictions to address these needs lead to care inequities and poor health outcomes.

To develop an evidence-based integrated tSCI Care Pathway, from time of injury to life in the community.

Eighty key partners engaged in planning, providing, and receiving tSCI care (1) identified existing guidelines, pathways, and care models; (2) created the tSCI Care Pathway with key elements or building blocks ("the what"), not specific recommendations ("the how") for each care stage (Acute, Rehabilitation, and Community), with elements highlighting the role of primary care and equity considerations on the pathway; (3) identified regional gaps in the tSCI Pathway and prioritized them for implementation; and (4) developed quality indicators.

The tSCI Pathway was drafted in overarching and detailed formats. For Acute Care, building blocks focused on appropriate assessment, initial management, and transition planning; for Rehabilitation, building blocks focused on access to specialized rehabilitation and assessment and planning of community needs; for Community, building blocks focused on follow-up, mechanisms for re-access, and holistic support for persons and families; and for equity considerations, building blocks focused on those at-risk or requiring complex supports. Team-based primary care and navigation supports were seen as crucial to reduce inequities.

This is the first comprehensive care pathway for tSCI. The Pathway is grounded in person-centred care, integrated care and services, and up-to-date clinical practice guidelines. The tSCI Care Pathway is flexible to regional realities and individual needs to ensure equitable care for all.