Delivering healthcare provider training for remote exercise delivery in MS

Summary

Evidence indicates that exercise is safe and improves many clinical outcomes, including physical fitness, functional abilities, fatigue, depression and cognitive function in people with MS. However, many people with MS do not engage in the levels of exercise required to offer the best health outcomes for their condition. Dr Yvonne Learmonth has already developed and tested a remote telehealth delivered exercise framework, called the changing Behaviours towards Aerobic and Strength Exercise in MS programme (BASE), which uses evidence-based practice to deliver exercise via telehealth.  

In this project, Dr Learmonth will develop and test an online education tool to train MS exercise physiologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists to deliver the BASE programme to people with MS. She will measure training success based on the healthcare provider’s confidence, knowledge, and behaviour towards delivering the BASE programme to people with MS. Further, in preparation for a large-scale roll-out of the BASE framework, Dr Learmonth will identify the cost of healthcare provider training and the outcomes, mechanisms and contexts which make the framework realistic for delivery within the Australian healthcare system.