Analysis of American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) National Outcomes Database

APTA CONNECT is a point-of-care, electronic health record system designed specifically for physical therapists. In addition to improving the efficiency and usefulness of physical therapist documentation, APTA CONNECT is a mechanism that is building the first national outcomes database for physical therapy. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has identified a number of “mandated fields” that will be used to create the national outcomes database. The objectives of this project are 1) to analyze data that have been collected in these mandated fields; 2) to provide guidance on risk adjustment models that can be used with these data; 3) to serve in a consultative role on the progression/refinement of the national outcomes database; and 4) to assist with dissemination of findings and development of documentation on use/analysis of the national outcomes database. Descriptive and multivariate analyses will be conducted to examine the data and develop risk adjustment models. Information gathered from these analyses will inform next steps in the continued development and use of the outcomes database and will provide an assessment of the current state of physical therapy practice, the degree of variation in practice for select diagnoses, and how practice relates to clinical practice guidelines and evidence.

Principal Investigator: Janet Freburger, Ph.D.

Funding: American Physical Therapy Association

Total Project Period: 08/15/2011-08/14/2012