1. Assessment Tools and Outcome Measures:
Evidence-based Pearls for Rehabilitation Practice
William Poluha & Emily Etcheverry
University of Manitoba
Canadian Health Libraries Association/
Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada
Conference 2006
Vancouver, BC
May 15, 2006

2. Scenario #1

5. Google Search
Barthel Index online

6. Scenario #2

10. Outline Background Therapist Practice Issues Collection Evaluation
Building
Accessing
Using
Evaluation

11. School of Medical Rehabilitation
Faculty liaison
Curriculum integrated information literacy
Emphasis on evidence-based practice
Student/Faculty requests for tools
Assessment Tool Collection Needed

12. Therapist Practice Issues
Evidence-based practice
Assessment tools needed for patient baselines and outcomes (Unsworth, 2000; Law, Baum & Dunn, 2005)
Need for tools in rehabilitation has increased over last 10 years (Finch, et al, 2002)

13. Therapist Practice Issues
Barriers to using tools identified by therapists:
(Kay, Myers & Huijbregts, 2001; Pollock et al., 2000; von Zweck, 1999)
Lack of knowledge about tools
Difficulty finding a suitable tool
Limited access to tools to determine suitability
Limited access to tools for “hands-on” demos
Lack of time
Could really use an assessment tool collection!

14. Your Library

15. We’re getting that assessment tool collection!
Funding
Increased enrollment in School of Medical Rehabilitation (SMR)
Council of Post Secondary Education (Manitoba)
SMR submission included library funding
$5,000.00/year allocated for building the collection
Community Therapy Services support
We’re getting that assessment tool collection!
Per student funding, indirect cost of research funding
CTS mutual benefit of SMR and therapists in the community $10k for smr

16. The Collection 50 “toolkits” and growing
Assessments for Rehabilitation
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Original assessment tools/instruments
Manuals/books on development and use

19. Building the Collection
Reviews
Consultations
Vendor Agreements

20. Building the Collection
Reviews
Books on measuring health
Annotated lists of tools and outcome measures
Journal literature for tools on specific outcomes or disorders
Websites that index and annotate tools
Vendor websites

21. Building the Collection
Consultations
Faculty:
list of tools used in teaching and research
Practicing therapists:
Tools they use with clients
Tools to evaluate prior to purchase
Students:
Research Methods course
Thesis research
Independent Study
Clinical/fieldwork setting
Students have projects during fieldwork placements

22. Building the Collection
Vendor Agreements
PhD or equivalent registrant to acquire some tools
Copyright protection
For education and reference use only
Not for use with clients in clinical or research settings
Secured storage

24. Preparing Tools for Circulation
Toolkits packaged in media bags
Inventory of components (numbered)
NLM call numbers with “ATOOLS” location
Copyright labels
Catalogued

29. Using the Collection
Loan policy tries to balance vendor requirements with client needs
Unavailable for document delivery
Signed loan agreement
Condition / inventory report (loan out / return)
Copyright
Education or reference use
Not for use with clients in clinical or research settings

30. Using the Collection In-library use Non-affiliated therapists
UM affiliates
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority employees
Non-affiliated therapists
In-library use only
Proof of professional credentials
Driver’s license in lieu of library card

31. Using the Collection Outside use for SMR faculty / students only:
Faculty: up to one week
Students: up to 24 hrs. with faculty co-signing

36. Accessing the Collection
Library Catalogue
Website

37. Accessing the Collection
Library Catalogue
NLM Medical Subject Headings
Additional index terms
Assessment, Tools, Outcomes, Measures, Instruments
Entire collection retrieved:
Two or more index terms keyword searched
Limit to Health Sciences Library

38. Accessing the Collection
Library Catalogue
Enhanced record
Tool summary
Equipment list
Link to tool record on website
Conditions of use
Tool acronym searchable

40. Accessing the Collection
Website
Facilitates access to:
Tool collection
Resources on tools

41. Accessing the Collection
Website components
Introduction to the collection
Use policy
Annotated tool index
Searching for tools (tips)
Resources on tools (print & electronic)
Recommend a tool
Survey (feedback on using website)

47. Evaluation Toolkit Survey (preliminary) Sample n= 16
Primary role (faculty, student, therapist/professional)
1 faculty
1 therapist
14 students
Professional affiliation (OT, PT, nurse, etc.)
16 Occupational Therapist

49. Toolkit Evaluation Comments:
“Excellent concept for a collection” (student)
“Appreciate having this access” (therapist)
“It would be helpful to take out of library” (student)
“…signing it out on a longer term basis” (faculty)
“…know whether scoring sheets can actually be used…” (faculty)

50. Future Evaluations Client Circulation staff Website survey
Poster presentation survey at Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Conference
Circulation staff

51. Future Development
Website
Search for a tool by outcome

52. Acknowledgements Ada Ducas, Head, Health Sciences Libraries
Carol Cooke, Librarian & Web Goddess
Pam Green, Cataloguer
Lucilla Leung, Circulation Supervisor
Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library Staff
Faculty and Students, School of Medical Rehabilitation

53. Medical Rehabilitation Assessment Tool Website

54. References
Finch, E., Brooks, D., Stratford, P.W. & Mayo, N. (2002). Physical rehabilitation outcome measures: A guide to enhanced clinical decision making (2nd ed.). Hamilton, Ontario: BC Decker.
Kay, T.M., Myers, A.M., & Huijbregts, M.P.J. (2001). How far have we come since 1992? A comparative survey of physiotherapists’ use of outcome measures. Physiotherapy Canada, 54(4), , 281.
Law, M.C., Baum, C.M. & Dunn, W. (2005). Measuring Occupational Performance: Supporting best practice in occupational therapy (2nd ed.). Thorofare, NJ: Slack.
Pollock, A.S., Legg, L., Langhorne, P. & Sellars, C. (2000). Barriers to achieving evidence-based stroke rehabilitation. Clinical Rehabilitation, 14(6),
Unsworth, C. (2000). Measuring the outcome of occupational therapy: Tools and resources. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 47(4),
von Zweck, C. (1999). The promotion of evidence-based occupational therapy practice in Canada. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66(5),

55. The Price is Right!

56. The Price Is:
$13,583.54