Many of Spooner’s patients end up in our care due to a referral from a doctor referral, family member or friend. It makes sense. Most people who aren’t therapists may not immediately know where to go for help, so they take the easiest route to finding a therapist—which often means going with a referral from your network. We’re grateful for those that end up in our therapy rooms, no matter how they got there!

But did you know that there’s an easy way to make more informed, data-driven decisions about your healthcare? The answer lies in outcomes. And the great news is that outcomes data applies to all types of healthcare, and it’s completely objective. The best part: it may take just a quick phone call to uncover outcomes data.

First, what are outcomes?

Outcomes offer a completely objective method to analyze the quality of your care. Outcomes measures the results of treatment—what happened after a patient received treatment at Spooner? Outcomes also measures the time it took to achieve that result—how long was the patient at Spooner?

In other words, if you’ve been prescribed physical therapy for, say, a neurological disorder that is affecting your hands, then you can discover how long it has taken other patients to recover—and what that recovery looked like. The results are shown against average results on a regional and national level, giving you a clearer picture of the type of care you would receive if you went with Spooner, or another provider.

What do outcomes mean for the overall healthcare industry?

As much as we love data, the use of outcomes is a sign that the broader healthcare industry is evolving. As outcomes data is tracked, the emphasis is placed on the quality of care and functional improvement. It’s no longer about just getting it done (after all, you could knock out your physical therapy anywhere!). It’s about value: are you getting better and how long is that taking to achieve?

We’ll spare you the complex details of the healthcare industry and how insurance plays a part in all of this, but providers who have great outcomes are rewarded. It’s an incentive to healthcare providers to do their very best. And, it’s about helping patients make informed choices.

How is outcomes data collected?

When you receive therapy, you’ll be asked to fill out a functional outcomes survey on Day 1. Simply put, this survey covers the goals of the treatment plan. It also details your status: what you can and can’t do due to your physical limitations.

Periodically throughout your treatment, you’ll continue to take these surveys again. We track it all, down to the nitty gritty details.  Can you pick up a coffee cup and put it up high on a kitchen shelf? What about opening doors, or lifting a 25-pound box? We track it all, down to the nitty gritty details.

The data is then folded into a system which calculates a predictive score, called a functional status score. Basically, it tells us when you should improve. The system is calculating your progress against thousands of others, regionally and nationally.

In other words: We’re proud to say that Spooner patients demonstrate progress three times the pace than other similar regional providers. Our patients are getting their lives back on track and enjoying their daily activities three times faster. The truth is in the data.

Put outcomes to work for you.

If you want to the outcomes data for your healthcare provider, all you have to do is ask (we mean it!).

  • Ask the healthcare provider for outcomes information. If they are not tracking this information, then that’s a red flag for you to look elsewhere. If they are tracking it, it shows they are committed to doing the best by their patients.
  • Ask how they compare to other providers.
  • Ask if they have handouts or any additional information to help explain their outcomes performance.
  • You can filter outcomes down to the individual therapist. If you’re receiving therapy for your back and you want to know the best therapist to work with at any given office, they should be able to tell you.

Remember, you’re in charge. It’s your therapy. Your body. Your healthcare. Outcomes empower you with additional data points to make the right choice for you.