What are Outcome Measures?
Quick Summary
- Outcome Measures are quick check-in surveys to see how you’re feeling and track your progress.
- These regular check-ins help us support you better and give you a snapshot of how things are going.
- You can also watch a video explaining more about Outcome Measures here.
Outcome Measures, or check-in surveys, might be something new to you – or maybe you’ve heard your clinician or another healthcare provider talking about them before. Either way, you may be wondering what they are, and how they’re going to help you.
What are Outcome Measures?
Outcome Measures are a set of different surveys that ask you questions about your mood, how you’ve been feeling, your alcohol and drug intake, and other information about how life has been for you lately. This information can give you a good summary of how things were like when you started treatment, so you can measure your progress. Outcome Measure surveys like these are used by lots of different healthcare organisations, and they can really help us provide you with a tailored, evidence-based plan to help you live your life well.
How often do I need to complete them?
We usually ask you to complete your surveys at three times: at the start of your treatment; one month from now; and three months from now. These check ins help us get a sense of whether your current plan is working, and whether we need to change things up. You’ll be able to see how things are going compared to when you started, by looking at a progress chart.
Why do you need to ask me about so many different things?
Sometimes you might wonder why we’re asking you these questions, especially if some are about things you haven’t experienced before. We cast a broad net to ask about a range of things that might be going on for you. It’s not uncommon that people have more than one issue going on at a time, so if we can get the ‘whole story’, then we can hit the ground running with options for supporting you.
Can I view my results?
We don’t keep your survey results from you: you can have the option to see your results immediately, or to go through them with someone from Lives Lived Well. Our clients say that this helps them put things in perspective and creates motivation for changing what isn’t working. Rather than guessing, we can use your answers to match your treatment and make sure you’re getting maximum value out of the time you spend working on your recovery.
Can I get some help completing my surveys?
If you have any questions about how to complete your surveys, contact your clinician.