The Rocket team had a busy October, presenting at two major conferences. At the AACPDM Annual Meeting in Quebec City, Michelle Phoenix, Cynthia Lennon and Meaghan Reitzel participated in a mini-symposium, showcasing innovative approaches in service design and research for childhood disability. Meanwhile, at the OSOT Conference Workshop, Brendan-Wylie Toal and Ilona Koshy discussed our AI-driven documentation project, sharing insights and future applications. Check out the highlights and see how our team is driving change in these fields!
Conference #1
AACPDM Annual Meeting
- 78th Annual Meeting for the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, Hosted in Quebec City this year from October 23-26.
- The presentation highlighted Equity-Based CoCreation (EqCC) in Childhood Disability: Innovation in Service Design, Clinician Training, Tool Development, and Family Engaged Research.
Highlights
- Explored the key elements (philosophy, methods, and outcomes) of EqCC and how it applies to childhood disability contexts.
- Reviewed examples and discussed how EqCC can be utilized in clinical or research settings to enhance service or tool development, engagement in service design or research, and training.
- Identified challenges in engaging marginalized groups in EqCC and brainstormed solutions to address these barriers.
- Looked at the impact of partnerships with stakeholders for research, including caregivers, people with lived experience and service providers.
Presenters
Top row: Meaghan Reitzel, Cynthia Lennon, Vanessa Tomas
Bottom row: Karen Hurtubise, Martine Nault, Michelle Phoenix (Lead), Samantha Micsinszki

Conference #2
OSOT Conference Workshop
- Annual Conference for the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists, hosted virtually on October 25.
- The presentation highlighted the latest on our AI-driven documentation project. Brendan and Ilona discussed the potential and challenges of implementing AI at KidsAbility, with a specific focus on documentation.
Highlights
Our research demonstrated AI’s potential in generating SOAP notes from unstructured data using both Microsoft Co-Pilot and a custom-built model. Findings compared the quality and accuracy of AI-generated notes with those written by clinicians, revealing promising results.
- Pilot Study Insights: In a pilot study, ten occupational therapists found AI-generated notes to be professional in tone and generally accurate, with some minor errors. Greatest time savings occurred when concise notes were used as a base, allowing clinicians to edit and add details as needed.
- Key Learnings: Effective AI integration requires specific training and support. Challenges in using the tool and editing the output were highlighted in our pilot with the importance of training on efficient inputs to optimize the AI outputs and show time savings.
- Navigating Barriers to Change: Implementing AI tools successfully involves openness to workflow changes and individualized coaching. Direct support allowed clinicians to recognize AI’s practical value, improving both efficiency and comfort.
- Future AI Applications: Breakout discussions explored new AI uses in clinical settings, such as AI-compatible templates and adaptive workflows, aiming to reduce documentation burdens and enhance communication with clients and families.
Presenters
Brendan Wylie-Toal (Director, Innovation & Research) & Ilona Koshy (Innovation Coordinator)
