title: Using Outcome Measures in Daily Practice: Development and Evaluation of an Implementation Strategy for Physiotherapists in the Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the development of an educational programme for physiotherapists in the Netherlands, two toolkits of measurement instruments, and the evaluation of an implementation strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a controlled pre- and post-measurement design. A tailored educational programme for the use of outcome measures was developed that consisted of four training sessions and two toolkits of measurement instruments. Of 366 invited physiotherapists, 265 followed the educational programme (response rate 72.4%), and 235 randomly chosen control physiotherapists did not (28% response rate). The outcomes measured were participants' general attitude toward measurement instruments, their ability to choose measurement instruments, their use of measurement instruments, the applicability of the educational programme, and the changes in physiotherapy practice achieved as a result of the programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent (not occasional) use of measurement instruments increased from 26% to 41% in the intervention group; in the control group, use remained almost the same (45% vs 48%). Difficulty in choosing an appropriate measurement instrument decreased from 3.5 to 2.7 on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Finally, 91% of respondents found the educational programme useful, and 82% reported that it changed their physiotherapy practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The educational programme and toolkits were useful and had a positive effect on physiotherapists' ability to choose among many possible outcome measures.
authors: Department of Physical Therapy; Research Centre for Autonomy and Participation for Persons with a Chronic Illness, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen.
authors: Raymond A H M
authors: RA
authors: Swinkels
authors: Department of Science, Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy, Amersfoort; Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen.
authors: Guus M
authors: GM
authors: Meerhoff
authors: Department of Physical Therapy.
authors: Jan W H
authors: JW
authors: Custers
authors: Department of Physical Therapy.
authors: Roland P S
authors: RP
authors: van Peppen
authors: Department of Physical Therapy; Research Centre for Autonomy and Participation for Persons with a Chronic Illness, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen; Department of Family Practice, CAPHRI School of Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
authors: Anna J H M
authors: AJ
authors: Beurskens
authors: Department of Physical Therapy; Research Centre for Innovations in Health Care, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences.
authors: Harriet
authors: H
authors: Wittink
keywords: education, medical; outcome measures