Clinically Relevant Outcome Measures in Orthotics and Prosthetics
By Phil Stevens, MEd, CPO, FAAOP
Natalie Fross, Student Prosthetist
Susan Kapp, MEd, CPO, LPO
(Content provided by The Academy Today)
The culture of third-party reimbursement for medical services is changing. Increasingly, providers throughout the healthcare industry are called upon to validate the benefit and efficacy of the services they provide. As prosthetists and orthotists, we have historically been less scrutinized in this regard, as the tangible devices we supply have often been looked upon as an "outcome" in and of themselves. However, with the growing emphasis on the importance of outcomes assessment, it will become increasingly necessary for clinicians in O&P to be able to select and administer those accepted outcome measures that will best justify our interventions.