A Quality Assuranc Method for CODlDlunity Occupational Therapy

Fiscal constraints, service withdrawal, and litigation in the health care sector have created an unquestionable need jor accountability in health services. Therejore, this paper presents a method oj quality assurance jor use in community occupational therapy. Detailed attention is given to methodological issues, particularly those related to selecting an approach. A process audit approach was chosen jor this study, and the results oj its pilot application to a sample oj depressed patients are presented and discussed. In addition, preliminary work on reliability and validity oj the method are presented. Test-retest and interrater reliabilities were jound to be .734 and. 728, respectively, and assertions oj normative and criterion validity were supported. The results oj the audit are presented to illuminate aspects oj the method that need jurther refinement.