Speaker: Roseann C. Schaaf, Ph.d Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University

Time: 2017-10-17 10:00 - 11:00

Venue: Room 1115, Wang Kezhen Building

Abstract: Occupational therapy practitioners have expertise in the facilitation of successful participation in daily life across the lifespan. We accomplish this by appreciating the client within his or her life context and creating bridges to health and participation using approaches that are informed by evidence.   

This session will present a systematic, Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM) framework for occupational therapy that situates practice within occupation, and promotes the use of evidence and theory to guide practice and integrated outcome measurement into daily practice.  

DDDM considers the client and their occupational needs, guides the choice of an appropriate theory to match the client strengths and needs, uses a hypothesis statement to link assessment data to intervention, and utilizes outcome measurement as an integral part of the OT process.  DDDM will be described and examples of its application are presented including a randomized control trial that used DDDM to test the effectiveness of OT, and published case reports in varied practice settings to illustrate the application of this framework for research and practice.  DDDM is illustrated through the authors program of research in autism and sensory integration but examples of its use in other practice areas is also shown to illustrate the use of DDDM into occupational therapy to guide best practices and create “evidence through practice.”

Conclusions:  A DDDM approach in occupational therapy can be utilized to guide person-centered OT and measure outcomes.  The DDDM process can help therapists create evidence for OT’s as enablers of participation and health and demonstrate outcomes of the occupational therapy process. 

Host: Dr. Li Yi