Economic evidence for occupational therapy: Using the Occupational Therapy Now special issue to build capacity

Within the context of health care and related services, in which tremendous competition exists for available resources, not only is it necessary to demonstrate that occupational therapy makes a difference for clients, but also that it makes economic sense. Our profession’s collective capacity to develop and use economic evidence must be expanded—capacity in this context involves not only having access to a more substantial body of economic evidence, but also, importantly, being competent consumers and communicators of this research evidence. The special issue of Occupational Therapy Now in July/August 2018, which took into account the perspectives of practitioners, managers, researchers and health economists, focused on this topic. In this webinar, the co-editors will provide an overview, and highlight certain sections, of the special issue to support participants' capacity to use and develop economic evidence. There will be an opportunity for a general exchange between the participants and the presenters.

After taking part in this webinar, participants will:
1. Be able to state the importance of economic evidence for occupational therapy services.
2. Be able to identify some key resources for understanding economic evidence for occupational therapy services.
3. Be able to recognize some research evidence regarding economic evidence for occupational therapy services.
4. Be able to understand some examples regarding the utility of economic evidence for occupational therapy services and how it was generated.
5. Be able to identify some strategies for starting to apply an economic perspective to their practice.