Outcome measurement: towards an interdisciplinary approach

Abstract

With the current emphasis on accountability and quality assurance, many therapists will admit that they need to learn much more about their own practice if they are to be able to provide purchasers and other clinicians with reliable predictions of what they should be able to achieve. It is essential that therapy services implement mechanisms for outcome measurement which not only allow clinicians to demonstrate the value of their intervention, but also support their efforts to examine, refine and share good practice. This article describes a framework for outcome measurement which is currently being developed within speech and language therapy. It has transferred well to other health-care professions, and lends itself well to multidisciplinary working.