Data Driven Decision Making

This course focuses on introducing the Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM) framework to guide occupational therapists (OT) clinical reasoning throughout the therapy process. The framework was developed to facilitate evidence-based practice that uses data to guide practice. The DDDM provides a systematic, organized approach to clinical reasoning, which is essential to support best practices and guide clinical reasoning. The course will familiarize the learner with the DDDM process and demonstrate how to use data in everyday practice. Learners will be guided through each of the steps of the DDDM process to gather assessment data, identify a theory, use assessment data to develop hypotheses, develop goals, individually tailored interventions, and measure outcomes at both the proximal and distal levels. 

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course, participants will: 

• Have an understanding of a systematic approach to guide clinical reasoning process.
• Be able to apply the DDDM process to make thoughtful clinical decisions about interventions.
• Apply the steps of DDDM to guide interventions.
• Be able to design a tailored intervention program specific to the individual client's needs.
• Be able to measure client outcomes using the DDDM process.
• Apply the DDDM process in two cases of persons with autism.

Course Level - Beginner, intermediate, advanced. No prerequisites for this course.

Suitable For - Occupational Therapists. Asynchronous.

Contact Hours - 3 hours

Completion Requirements - To receive a certificate of completion, you must complete the end-of-course quiz.

About the Speaker:
Dr Roseann Schaaf, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Dr. Roseann Schaaf is a professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and Director of the Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence.  She is also faculty in the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University.  Dr. Schaaf has a PhD in Neuroscience, a Master Degree in Education and a Bachelor Degree in Occupational Therapy.  She is committed to facilitating evidence-based practices and developed the Data Driven Decision Making process (DDDM) to guide clinicians in their use of evidence-based, theory driven clinical interventions that measure outcomes.  Through the use of DDDM, clinicians and researchers can create evidence through practice.  Dr. Schaaf has devoted her career to the study of the sensory integrative factors underpinning occupations in children, specifically to understand the neural mechanisms of sensory integration and to develop and test interventions that address these sensory features to enhance function and participation in daily activities.