NCOR, in collaboration with practising osteopaths, has developed a standardised data collection (SDC) tool for osteopaths in private practice. In 2009, a national pilot took place using the tool, and has profiled day-to-day osteopathic practice. This developmental work was undertaken at the Clinical Research Centre for Health Professions based at the University of Brighton.
Standardised data collection can be a systematic way for all interested osteopaths to collect the same data about patients and practice, to provide information that the profession urgently needs about itself. This type of information can be collected for short periods of time on a snapshot basis, looking at discreat topic areas.
What can standardised data collection do for you and your practice?
The information gathered across the profession using a standardised data collection tool can provide information to assist with:
- marketing your practice
- giving presentations to interested parties, e.g. patient groups, GPs or primary care trusts
- providing information to insurers
- providing information on training needs for your practice and your personal development
What information did the SDC tool provide?
The SDC tool collected information for the profession, patients and other healthcare professionals concerning:
- The type of patients seeking treatment
- Their reasons for seeking treatment
- The variety of treatment approaches used in osteopathic care
- Responses to treatment
The data collection period ran between April and July 2009. All data was anonymised. A full report of the findings of the data collection project can be found 
here (pdf 2.5Mb). An executive summary of the final project report can be found here (pdf 105Kb).
Both documents open in a new window.
You can download short and full versions of the Standardised Data Collection Tool
