I just have a small organization. I can't afford to do a research project!

While it is important to design your outcomes system with as much validity as possible, it is clear that treatment program outcomes systems are not research. Outcomes should be about listening to your patients, their families, your community and your staff. An outcomes system for a small organization is quite affordable and generally pays for itself in the increased knowledge about operations that are obtained.

How can outcomes possibly help me

Outcomes measurement, when planned properly, can give you lots of valuable feedback about your organization and its operations.

Some of the possible uses of your outcome data could be tracking satisfaction with your services, determining the effectiveness of your treatment program, or clarifying which staff members are most effective.

So, I have some results, what can I do with them?

If your system is designed correctly, the data you have acquired will be useful in the areas you decided on in the planning process. Marketing and obtaining additional funding are two common uses for outcome data. You may want to inform your patients and staff members of your successes, also.

Why should I measure the satisfaction of the people we serve?

What kinds of questions would I ask?

There are certain time points and specific questions that yield useful results. Asking the people you serve how they feel about staff availability, program access and changes that have come about in their lives due to their involvement in your program can result in program changes and/or important information for future growth.