Turning SCI Data into Better Rehabilitation Planning

Praxis uses data to understand how people with SCI experience care across British Columbia, helping identify where the system works and where improvements are needed. Central to this work is the Praxis-led Canadian National SCI Registry (RHSCIR), which collects detailed clinical and demographic information on people living with SCI.

Praxis publishes RHSCIR annual reports that translate data into insights on patient characteristics and care experiences, including age, injury severity and level, cause of injury, care locations, length of hospital stay, and health complications. These findings reveal patterns and system-level trends to inform decision-making and rehabilitation planning.

Building on this, Praxis linked the SCI Registry data with provincial health administrative data from Population Data BC to examine 20 years of care pathways for all British Columbians with traumatic SCI. The analysis explored where individuals with traumatic SCI live, their access to specialized centres such as Vancouver General Hospital and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, patterns of unplanned hospital visits, and differences across regional health authorities.

The findings showed that SCI care differs across British Columbia. While many individuals receive specialized care in Vancouver, most return to their communities after acute treatment where access to rehabilitation and ongoing support varies. Praxis’ analysis helped describe these regional differences and informed discussions for the provincial rehabilitation strategy.

Praxis also supported researchers across the province by providing access to this linked dataset. Through a secure platform, along with support for data access, privacy, and training, researchers can study patterns over time to improve care, inform planning, and support better decision-making. To date, a total of seven peer-reviewed articles have been published based on this linked data source.

By collecting and analyzing data, Praxis delivers insights that help decision-makers plan rehabilitation services, identify opportunities to improve access and continuity of care, with the goal of improving the health of people living with SCI across BC.