However, Rowell and others see a legitimate role for outcomes studies when data quality is adequate and conclusions are realistic. Documenting functional outcomes and quality of life outcomes is also important in long-term treatment of the patient. Some facilities use outcomes studies to prove the cost-effectiveness of their treatment. Such studies prove the worth of your treatment compared to competitors , Spath said. As the industry pushes toward computerized patient records, groups are working to create a standardized language that will simplify the retrieval of outcomes studies data.
Some ongoing efforts are within single disciplines.
The American Occupational Therapy Association has developed Uniform Terminology for Occupational Therapy. Its editorial board includes representatives from nursing, radiology, public health, ophthalmology, internal medicine, pathology, dentistry, and veterinary medicine.