Evaluation of Rehabilitation Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

It is recommended that students have some prior experience of working in a rehabilitation environment where they have been exposed to the collection and interpretation of standardised assessments of patient outcomes.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This wholly online subject introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of evaluation in rehabilitation practice. The subject will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills related to the selection, application and interpretation of evaluations of rehabilitation for individuals, groups and rehabilitation services. The subject is divided into modules to allow flexibility for students to choose areas of evaluation of rehabilitation practice that best match their interests or work context. Similarly, students will be given options for assessment that include the development of evaluation resources that can be used in a clinical context, implementation and evaluation strategies for introduction of a new evaluation tool or analysis and interpretation of an existing evaluation within their work context.

All students will complete four modules within this subject.

A Foundational Module will be completed by all students and introduces the theoretical basis of evaluation in a rehabilitation context from the perspectives of the consumer and disability groups, the rehabilitation clinician, program providers, compensatory bodies and legislators. A theoretical framework, based on the International Classification of Functioning (WHO), will be introduced as an evidenced based methodology for the selection and classification of evaluations used in rehabilitation settings. Students will have an opportunity to practice mapping the constructs of the ICF to evaluation tools that are relevant to their work context. The pros and cons of catergorising evaluation tools using the framework of the ICF and the challenges associated with evaluating personal and environmental factors will be examined. Students will also develop an understanding of barriers and enabler to evaluation in a general rehabilitation context and their own clinical context. The foundational module is capped by an introduction to the legal and ethical considerations of evaluation including informed consent, professional competence, third party observers and ecological validity of the evaluation. Concepts related to culture, diversity and fairness in rehabilitation evaluation will also be identified and considered within the students own work context.

Students will then choose two from four modules that best meets their learning interests and/or practice needs. These modules are:

1. Evaluation tools: This module will examine different types of evaluation tools and emerging developments in the methods of evaluation. This includes the comparison of the generic evaluation tools with impairment or disease specific measures and the interpretation of evaluations for the individual in comparison to a group. The foundations of adaptive testing will be examined and the rationale for the use of standardized patient specific outcome measurements and virtual reality testing will be explored.

2. Quality in evaluation: This module will focus upon the evaluation of consumer satisfaction and health care quality in the rehabilitation setting. Methodologies for the evaluation of satisfaction will be introduced including qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. Evaluation of consumer satisfaction within the framework of the ICF will also be examined. Concepts related to the importance of assessment of health care quality in rehabilitation contexts and for specific disability groups will be addressed. Students will be introduced to different assessment methods for the evaluation of health care quality and will reflect on issues related to evaluation in their own clinical context.

3. Evidence base on evaluation: Students selecting this module will develop the skills required to use an evidenced-based methodology to identify literature related to evaluation tools used in the rehabilitation setting. Students will the select a measurement tool that is of clinical interest and will complete an in depth analysis of the evaluation tool including the rationale behind its development, descriptions of its domains in relation to the ICF, and administration of the tool.

4. Psychometric properties of evaluative tools: This module will introduce students to a methodology to evaluate the psychometric properties of a measurement tool that is of clinical interest or relevance to their work context. Students will learn the skills required to complete an analysis of a tool to identify if it is psychometrically sound. Concepts of validity, reliability, responsiveness, feasibility, clinical utility and interpretability will be examined.

The final Integration module will be completed by all students and addresses the integration and application of evaluation back into the rehabilitation context. This module provides students with an opportunity to examine examples of how clinical evaluation has been successful implemented in different rehabilitation contexts and successfully used for bench-marking and the improvement of the effectiveness or cost-efficiency of a rehabilitation service.

The curriculum is designed around three elements which provide both horizontal and vertical integration throughout the program. These elements are:

Rehabilitation theory and practice
1. Apply an evidenced-based framework to select tools for the evaluation of rehabilitation practice at the level of the individual, rehabilitation program and service.
2. Identify the legal and ethical considerations and explain the considerations related to diversity, culture and fairness when selecting and implementing evaluations of rehabilitation practice.
3. Discuss the theoretical concepts related to tailored testing, standardized patient reported outcomes, use of virtual tools and evaluations of health care quality and consumer satisfaction in rehabilitation practice.

Evidence and innovation
4. Apply an evidenced-based methodology to identify and critically analyse the psychometric properties of tools used to evaluate rehabilitation practice including the analysis of the tools validity, reliability, feasibility and clinical utility.
5. Demonstrate self-directed learning to effectively produce evaluation of rehabilitation practice resources that can be used in a range of rehabilitation settings

Clinical practice in context
6. Effectively measure both the health status of individuals and groups as well as monitor and measure the outcomes of rehabilitation programs using a range of evidenced-based rehabilitation evaluation tools.
7. Demonstrate the ability to analyse and interpret selected rehabilitation evaluation data in order to make recommendations about improvements to rehabilitation service efficiency.
8. Design an implementation program for the introduction of an evaluation of an individual, program or rehabilitation service that is appropriate for the students work context.

• Contribution to online discussions throughout term, 10%
• Written assignment (1,000 words) due week 3, 20%
• Reflective portfolio (1,500 words) due week 8, 30%
• Written assignment (2,000 words) due week 9, 40%

Students will have access to electronic copies of prescribed readings

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students will have had the opportunity to develop the skills associated with:

• Applying research and inquiry skills to challenges in their practice contexts
• Lifelong learning, generating bold and novel ideas by critically evaluating alternative possibilities and viewpoints
• Leadership in their professions and communities, with the capacity to work effectively across disciplines and cultures
• Advocacy and innovation and the ability to lead change for a sustainable future
• Willingness to explore, experiment and learn from mistakes
• Empathy and concern for the welfare of others and can manage their own well-being