Outcome Measure
A standardized tool or scale used to assess and quantify a patient's function, performance, or quality of life at defined points in a rehabilitation program.
Full Definition
In rehabilitation and rehab technology, outcome measures are validated instruments used to document clinical change, justify funding decisions, and demonstrate program efficacy. They range from performance-based tests such as the Timed Up and Go to patient-reported measures such as the Orthotics and Prosthetics Users' Survey (OPUS). Editors must note that individual outcome measure names are proper nouns and should be capitalised and referenced with their validated abbreviation on first use. The plural form 'outcome measures' (not 'outcomes measures' or 'outcome-measures') is preferred in formal clinical writing. Conflating 'outcome measure' with 'outcome' itself is a common editorial error — the measure is the instrument, not the result.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish the instrument ('outcome measure') from the result ('outcome'). Use 'outcome measures' (no hyphen) as a plural noun phrase.
In Context
- "The study used three validated outcome measures — the FIM, the Functional Reach Test, and the OPUS — to evaluate prosthetic rehabilitation progress." — Clinical research protocol
- "When copyediting, ensure that each outcome measure name is capitalised and its established abbreviation is introduced in parentheses at first mention." — Rehabilitation medicine journal editorial guidelines