Occupational Therapy Position Statement the

Occupational Therapy Position Statement The current academic and professional climate is such that there are increasing demands not only for professional research and quality service, but also for the empirical basis of such research and service. Hence, empirical trials have become increasingly important in all fields of study. Occupational therapy is included in this phenomenon. The profession focuses on health and social care for individuals in need of this.

The market is therefore increasingly demanding a high level of quality from professionals in the field, while also increasingly demanding that the service delivered by based upon empirical research. For this reason, one might surmise that the importance of clinical trials in the field is rising, and that this is vital not only for improving the quality of care provided, but also for targeted health care reform where this is most needed. According to Unsworth (2000, p.

148), clients, insurers and employers have been particularly adamant regarding the quality and empirical nature of care received from occupational therapists. That such care must be evidence-based is coupled with the requirement that it be provided at the lowest possible cost. One of the best ways in which to achieve such a combination of quality and cost-effectiveness is by means of empirical evidence as obtained by means of clinical trials.

Authors such as Sperling (2009) also emphasize the importance of clinical trials in terms of the effect upon the ability of the medical profession to solve the problems it faces. In general, new treatments and drugs can only be approved when their efficacy are proved by means of clinical trials. In other words, such research validates the profession and its tools. Although occupational therapy has not traditionally been regarded as subject to clinical trials, these have become increasingly important in the light of validation for the profession. As Unsworth (2000, p.

156), occupational therapy will only be transported to the 21st century by means of measurable outcomes achieved via clinical trials. In the profession itself, it is therefore important to increase the number of clinical trials conducted. This will have various effects and advantages. Most directly, outcomes will provide the profession with a proven set of therapies that are known to work in a certain set of circumstances. In other words, the outcomes are relatively consistent and can be predicted.

This facilitates the care that occupational therapists are able to give, as the outcomes are provided by clinical trial research. More indirectly, clinical trial outcomes provide the profession as a whole with a sense of validity; providing it with a stronger image in the eyes of the general public as well as clients themselves. This increased confidence in the profession will perpetuate not only its efficacy, but also the possibilities of applying successfully for funding to conduct further clinical trials.

Another advantage of clinical trials are for recipients of care themselves. Occupational therapists might for example choose a certain type of client to participate in a clinical trial for the improvement of his or her problem. Such clients can then also have access to therapies that are not yet widely available while being assured of the knowledge that they are contributing to the well-being of others searching for help in a specific area.

Finally, clinical trials in occupational therapy help to advance the occupational therapy profession, providing it with empirical grounds for the use.