Examining Occupation-Based Outcome Measure Use in a Neurologic Outpatient Occupational Therapy Setting: A Knowledge Translation Initiative

Importance: Occupation-based outcome measures (OBOMs) are an evidence-based recommendation for occupational therapy evaluations. Knowledge translation (KT) is a process used to help integrate evidence into clinical practice. The authors identified a KT opportunity to examine occupational therapy practitioners’ (OTPs) use of outcome measures in an outpatient practice setting and assess a Know-Do Gap as the first step in the Action phase of a KT initiative. Objective: Describe the frequency and types of outcome measures documented in occupational therapy (OT) evaluations, with a focus on OBOMs. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Three outpatient clinic sites (under one parent company) in the Midwestern United States, serving clients with neurologic conditions. Participants: Retrospective chart reviews. Data Collection and Analysis: Data included client age, diagnosis, and all documented outcome measures by seven OTPs during OT evaluations over a 6-month period. Results: Researchers analyzed 173 charts. Forty-six different outcome measures were documented and categorized. Out of the 46 measures, one was occupation-based, the Spinal Cord Independence Measure, and was administered six times (3.5%) out of 173 evaluations. Conclusion: OBOMs were underutilized in this neurologic outpatient setting, constituting a Know-Do Gap between evidence-based recommendations and practice. Knowledge Translation Takeaway: Findings signify the first step in a site-specific KT initiative, establishing a need for KT intervention to increase the use of OBOMs and standardization of practice. Plain Language Summary: Experts say that occupational therapists (OTs) should use tests that look at real-life activities when they check their patients. This study looked at the types of tests OTs used. Results showed that most of the tests did not look at real-life activities. This difference between what is suggested and what is done is called a gap. With this information, our researchers and the OT team can start working together to close the gap.