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. 2025 Jun;88(6):362-378.
doi: 10.1177/03080226251320185. Epub 2025 Feb 24.

Primary care occupational therapist's methods of outcome evaluation: Do they align to value-based healthcare?

Laura Ingham  1   2 , Alison Cooper  3 , Catherine Purcell  1
Affiliations

Primary care occupational therapist's methods of outcome evaluation: Do they align to value-based healthcare?

Laura Ingham et al. Br J Occup Ther. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational therapy roles are increasing across General Practice in primary care. The evidence base is growing; however, the best way to evaluate outcomes and the impact of practice in this setting remains unclear. Consideration for how methods used align to ambitions of value-based healthcare is also required. This study explored evaluation methods used by occupational therapists, providing services to General Practice in Wales within the context of value-based healthcare.

Method: An online focus group was conducted with 13 members of a Welsh Primary Care Occupational Therapy network. Mixed methods were used and Mentimeter results and findings from group discussion were analysed through content and framework analysis.

Results: A multifaceted but inconsistent approach to evaluation was reported. Methods used, strengthened by professional core values, broadly aligned practice to shared ambitions of value-based healthcare. The use of validated patient rated scales were most commonly used to evaluate patient experience, whilst cost-effectiveness was least well considered.

Conclusion: Further research is required to understand occupational therapy evaluation in this setting to identify what is needed by stakeholders to determine impact and establish value. This could inform care at both an individual level and across populations if consistent data are collected at scale.

Keywords: Occupational therapy; evaluation methods; general practice; primary care; value-based healthcare.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Anonymised health board organisations in Wales represented by participant shown as percentage.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Type of service provided in setting. C&YP: children & young people; OA: older adults; VR: vocational rehab; MH: mental health; MH&PH: mental health & physical health; Phys: Physical Health; Other.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Age ranges that participants typically work with.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Thematic analysis framework.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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