Measuring outcomes and monitoring progress in the era of evidence-based clinical practice

Abstract Health outcome measurement is a growth industry. Thousands of behavioural assessment instruments, developed for neurological populations alone, are available for diagnosis, prediction and evaluation of interventions. The task of selecting the best instrument for the purpose at hand is thus a daunting one for the clinician and researcher. Fortunately, there are guides that make the task easier. This presidential address covers three interrelated themes that inform assessment in neurorehabilitation: First, it reviews current concepts and the status of behavioural assessment in neurorehabilitation. It then examines evidence-based clinical practice as applied to assessment of function, along with methods to benchmark the scientific quality of assessment instruments. Finally, the article considers the need to move beyond outcome measurement in the neurorehabilitation setting.