Clinical Outcome Measures for Rehabilitation of Amputees ? A Review

Prosthetic outcomes are determined by the prosthesis as well as by amputee specific factors - such as functional level and confidence - which affect performance with the device. The need to measure rehabilitation outcomes has become critical in the current healthcare environment. However, application of outcome measures by clinicians is limited due to their unfamiliarity with reliable and valid measures. This article provides a review of clinical outcome measures for assessing quality of life and functional ability during amputee rehabilitation and highlights the importance of incorporating outcome measurements in daily clinical practice. By utilizing outcome measures clinicians can not only determine the effectiveness of their intervention, but alsodemonstrate the value of the intervention to the patients and to third-party payers.