Evaluating occupational therapy outcomes in primary care
Establishing better health outcomes for individuals and communities
Taking a holistic approach to healthcare can optimise health and well-being.
The World Health Organization states that primary healthcare (PHC) uses a ‘whole-system approach’, which aims to ensure the highest level of health and well-being possible. Utilising a wider skill mix in PHC, such as allied health professionals like occupational therapists (OT), could enhance this holistic approach.
Occupational therapists use a person-centred approach, integrating physical and psychological health expertise, while also working with people from different communities and ages. This makes them well placed to work alongside holistic and preventive approaches in the healthcare system.
While the use of resources and the cost-effectiveness of using OTs in primary care has gained support, there is little evidence available relating to the effectiveness of these OT interventions and their alignment with global value-based healthcare outcomes. Healthcare professionals must assess the impact of their services to determine their value. The Health Foundation states that, “Evaluation is an essential part of quality improvement and when done well it can help solve problems, inform decision making and build knowledge.”
A new scoping review maps the value-based outcomes used by occupational therapists to evaluate their services in primary healthcare settings. This evidence was examined in relation to how the outcome evaluation methods align to the three identified core principles of value-based healthcare: better health, improved experience, and higher value.
Resources
Ingham, Laura; Cooper, Alison; Edwards, Deborah; Purcell, Catherine
JBI Evidence Synthesis 23(1):p 108-142, January 2025. | DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-23-00183